Oscars 2026: date, host, nominees and where to watch the 98th Academy Awards

The countdown to the Oscars 2026 is officially on, with Hollywood gearing up for the 98th Academy Awards later this month.

The ceremony will honour the biggest films of the past year, including Hamnet, Marty Supreme and awards frontrunner Sinners, as the race for Oscar glory enters its final stretch.

Here is everything to know before Hollywood’s biggest night.

When are the Oscars 2026?

The 98th Academy Awards will take place on March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.

The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 7pm ET and 4pm PT.

How to watch the Oscars 2026

Viewers can watch the ceremony live on ABC, with streaming available on Hulu.

Who is hosting?

Comedian and television host Conan O’Brien will return to host the Oscars for the second consecutive year.

In a recent interview, O’Brien teased there are “a lot of possibilities” in store for the ceremony, noting that some of the best ideas often emerge late in the process once the cultural moment becomes clear.

Who is presenting?

Last year’s acting winners Adrien Brody, Kieran Culkin, Mikey Madison and Zoe Saldaña are set to return as presenters.

Executive producers Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan have also confirmed additional presenters including Javier Bardem, Chris Evans, Chase Infiniti, Demi Moore, Kumail Nanjiani and Maya Rudolph. More names are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

Who is nominated?

The Oscar nominations for 2026 were unveiled in January, with Sinners emerging as the biggest contender.

The film scored 14 nominations, matching the long-standing record previously held by Titanic, La La Land and All About Eve.

Close behind is One Battle After Another with 13 nominations. Marty Supreme, Frankenstein and Sentimental Value each earned nine nominations, while Hamnet picked up eight.

Who were the biggest snubs?

Following the nominations announcement on January 22, awards watchers pointed to several high-profile omissions.

Among the names widely noted were Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande for Wicked: For Good, as well as Adam Sandler and George Clooney for Jay Kelly.

Is there a new category?

Yes. The Academy is introducing a new Oscar category this year: achievement in casting.

First announced in 2024, the category recognises films released in 2025.

Nominees include Nina Gold for Hamnet, Jennifer Venditti for Marty Supreme, Cassandra Kulukundis for One Battle After Another, Gabriel Domingues for The Secret Agent and Francine Maisler for Sinners.

Who won last year?

At the 97th Academy Awards in 2025, Anora won best picture and took home five awards overall, including best director for Sean Baker and best actress for Mikey Madison.