One Battle After Another Dominates 98th Academy Awards with Six Oscar Wins

"One Battle After Another" claimed the Oscar for Best Picture at the 98th Academy Awards ceremony held on March 15, 2026, in Hollywood, leading all films with six awards on the night. The film, known in Italian as "Una battaglia dopo l'altra," drove a dominant performance by Warner Bros. Discovery, which collected a total of 11 Oscars across the ceremony. Television host and comedian Conan O'Brien presided over the evening as host. The night also produced two landmark individual performances: Michael B. Jordan took Best Actor for his role in "Sinners," while Irish actress Jessie Buckley won Best Actress for her performance in "Hamnet." The ceremony marked a significant moment for the Academy, which handed out a newly created award category for the first time.

History made as casting earns its first Oscar Cassandra Kulukundis became the first person in Academy history to win the Oscar for Best Casting, receiving the award for her work on "One Battle After Another." The Best Casting category was introduced for the first time at this year's ceremony, making Kulukundis's win a milestone in the recognition of a craft that had long gone unrewarded by the Academy. Her award contributed to the six total wins credited to "One Battle After Another" on the night. The film's sweep across multiple categories cemented its status as the defining production of the 2026 awards season. "Sinners," which starred Michael B. Jordan, followed "One Battle After Another" in the overall tally of wins, according to web search results from the ceremony.

The Academy Awards, formally known as the Oscars, have been presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences since 1929. The Best Picture category has historically been the ceremony's most prestigious award. The introduction of new award categories has been a recurring feature of the Academy's evolution, reflecting shifts in how the film industry recognizes different crafts. Warner Bros. Discovery was formed on April 8, 2022, following WarnerMedia's spin-off by AT&T and its merger with Discovery, Inc.

Warner Bros. triumph shadowed by Paramount acquisition talks Warner Bros. Discovery's haul of 11 (Oscars) — total wins for Warner Bros. Discovery at the 98th ceremony was described as a bittersweet moment, according to Reuters, given a looming acquisition of the company by Paramount following its merger with Skydance. The studio's commanding performance on Hollywood's biggest night came at a moment of significant corporate uncertainty for the conglomerate. Reuters reported that the triumph was overshadowed by the prospect of the deal, which would reshape the ownership structure of one of Hollywood's major studios. The juxtaposition of record-setting awards success against a backdrop of a pending acquisition gave the evening an unusual tone for Warner Bros. Discovery executives and filmmakers. The studio's 11 wins represented a sweeping validation of its film slate even as its future independence remained in question.

Jordan and Buckley claim acting honors on a landmark night Michael B. Jordan's Best Actor win for "Sinners" added an Academy Award to a career that has also included three Actor Awards and a Producers Guild Award, according to his entry in the person registry. Jessie Buckley, born December 28, 1989, in Ireland, claimed Best Actress for "Hamnet," adding an Oscar to accolades that already included a British Academy Film Award, an Actor Award, a Golden Globe Award, and an Olivier Award. Both performances were recognized on a night that saw individual talent rewarded alongside the broader studio dominance of Warner Bros. Discovery. The full list of winners across all categories was published by the Academy following the conclusion of the ceremony. The 98th Oscars ceremony thus closed a competitive awards season with a clear frontrunner emerging across both the top prize and the acting categories.