2026 Critics Choice Awards Nominations: "Wicked: For Good" and Ariana Grande Included in Top Picks with "Sinners" Leading the Way

The nominations for the 31st annual Critics Choice Awards were unveiled on Friday, December 5, highlighting the years standout achievements in film and television. Leading the cinematic field, Sinners earned an impressive 17 nominations, while Netflixs Adolescence topped the television category with six nods.

The awards ceremony, hosted by Chelsea Handler, will be broadcast live on Sunday, January 4, from the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California, airing on E! and USA Network at 7 p.m. ET. This year also introduced four new categories: Best Variety Series, Best Stunt Design, Best Casting and Ensemble, and Best Sound.

Film Categories

Best Picture

• Frankenstein
• Marty Supreme
• One Battle After Another
• Sentimental Value
• Train Dreams
• Wicked: For Good

Best Actor

• Timothe Chalamet Marty Supreme
• Leonardo DiCaprio One Battle After Another
• Joel Edgerton Train Dreams
• Ethan Hawke Blue Moon
• Michael B. Jordan Sinners
• Wagner Moura The Secret Agent

Best Actress

• Jessie Buckley Hamnet
• Rose Byrne If I Had Legs Id Kick You
• Chase Infiniti One Battle After Another
• Renate Reinsve Sentimental Value
• Amanda Seyfried The Testament of Ann Lee
• Emma Stone Bugonia

Best Supporting Actor

• Benicio del Toro One Battle After Another
• Jacob Elordi Frankenstein
• Paul Mescal Hamnet
• Sean Penn One Battle After Another
• Adam Sandler Jay Kelly
• Stellan Skarsgrd Sentimental Value

Best Supporting Actress

• Elle Fanning Sentimental Value
• Ariana Grande Wicked: For Good
• Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas Sentimental Value
• Amy Madigan Weapons
• Wunmi Mosaku Sinners
• Teyana Taylor One Battle After Another

Other Key Film Categories

• Best Young Actor/Actress: Everett Blunck The Plague, Miles Caton Sinners
• Best Director: Paul Thomas Anderson One Battle After Another, Ryan Coogler Sinners, Guillermo del Toro Frankenstein
• Best Original Screenplay: Noah Baumbach & Emily Mortimer Jay Kelly, Ronald Bronstein & Josh Safdie Marty Supreme
• Best Adapted Screenplay: Paul Thomas Anderson One Battle After Another, Chlo Zhao & Maggie OFarrell Hamnet
• Best Casting and Ensemble: Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another, Wicked: For Good
• Best Cinematography: Claudio Miranda F1, Dan Laustsen Frankenstein
• Best Production Design: The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Frankenstein, Marty Supreme, Wicked: For Good
• Best Costume Design: Kate Hawley Frankenstein, Ruth E. Carter Sinners, Paul Tazewell Wicked: For Good
• Best Visual Effects: Avatar: Fire and Ash, Frankenstein, Mission: Impossible The Final Reckoning

Television Categories

Best Drama Series

• Alien: Earth
• Andor
• The Diplomat
• Paradise
• The Pitt
• Pluribus
• Severance
• Task

Best Comedy Series

• Abbott Elementary
• Elsbeth
• Ghosts
• Hacks
• Nobody Wants This
• Only Murders in the Building
• The Righteous Gemstones
• The Studio

Best Limited Series

• Adolescence
• All Her Fault
• Chief of War
• Death by Lightning
• Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy
• Dope Thief
• Dying for Sex
• The Girlfriend

Other Television Highlights

• Best Foreign Language Series: Acapulco, Last Samurai Standing, Mussolini: Son of the Century
• Best Animated Series: Bobs Burgers, Harley Quinn, Marvel Zombies
• Best Talk Show: The Daily Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Late Night with Seth Meyers
• Best Variety Series: Conan OBrien Must Go, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Saturday Night Live

The Critics Choice Awards continue to celebrate excellence across the entertainment landscape, shining a spotlight on both established stars and rising talents in film and television.

Author: Lucas Grant