The 98th Academy Awards are just around the corner, set to dazzle at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood next Sunday, March 15th. For us Aussies, that means tuning in on March 16th. Whether you’re backing our talented Australian nominees like Rose Byrne and Jacob Elordi, or you’re simply eager to be in the know before the ceremony, we’ve got you covered. It’s no secret that Academy voters sometimes miss the mark, with many nominated films and performances flying under the radar. By diving into these acclaimed movies, you might just find yourself more informed than some of the industry’s supposed experts.
Where to Catch the 2026 Oscar Nominees Down Under
Here’s your guide to watching the films vying for Oscar glory, available right here in Australia.
Frankenstein
Image: Netflix.
Guillermo del Toro’s take on the classic Frankenstein tale, featuring Jacob Elordi as the iconic monster, promises a gothic spectacle. Set in the 1850s, this adaptation sees Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankenstein, a surgeon consumed by his ambition to create life. The film is a moody reimagining of Mary Shelley’s novel, with Victor recounting his tragic experiments from the desolate expanse of the North Pole.
- Where to Watch: Streamable on Netflix.
- Nominations:
- Best Supporting Actor (Jacob Elordi)
- Best Adapted Screenplay (Guillermo del Toro)
- Best Picture
- Best Production Design
- Best Cinematography
- Best Costume Design
- Best Makeup and Hairstyling
- Best Sound
- Best Original Score.
Sinners
Image: Warner Bros.
Director Ryan Coogler reunites with Michael B. Jordan for this electrifying supernatural thriller, transporting viewers to the Mississippi Delta in 1932. Jordan delivers a compelling dual performance as twin brothers Smoke and Stack, who return home to establish their own juke joint, only to confront a terrifying supernatural evil in the form of Deep South vampires. The film has garnered an impressive 16 nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director. Following his win at the 2026 Actor Awards, Jordan is a strong contender for the Best Actor Oscar.
- Where to Watch: Stream on HBO Max. Available for rent or purchase on Apple TV, Prime Video, and Google Play.
- Nominations:
- Best Picture
- Best Director (Ryan Coogler)
- Best Actor (Michael B. Jordan)
- Best Supporting Actress (Wunmi Mosaku)
- Best Supporting Actor (Delroy Lindo)
- Best Original Screenplay
- Best Casting
- Best Production Design
- Best Cinematography
- Best Costume Design
- Best Film Editing
- Best Makeup and Hairstyling
- Best Sound
- Best Visual Effects
- Best Original Score
- Best Original Song (“I Lied to You” by Ludwig Göransson and Raphael Saadiq).
Marty Supreme
Image: A24.
Timothée Chalamet embodies Marty Mauser, a professional ping-pong player from the 1950s, loosely inspired by the real Marty Reisman. Directed by Josh Safdie, the film chronicles Marty’s tumultuous journey towards becoming a world champion. It also marks the return of Gwyneth Paltrow to acting, portraying a socialite who becomes Marty’s patron. This A24 indie has generated significant buzz, partly due to Chalamet’s distinctive social media promotional efforts. Having already secured a Golden Globe Award, the question remains whether he can clinch an Oscar.
- Where to Watch: Currently in cinemas.
- Nominations:
- Best Picture
- Best Actor (Timothée Chalamet)
- Best Original Screenplay
- Best Casting
- Best Production Design
- Best Cinematography
- Best Film Editing
- Best Costume Design.
Train Dreams
Image: Netflix.
Australian star Joel Edgerton leads this poignant and visually stunning adaptation of Denis Johnson’s novella. He plays Robert Grainier, a labourer in the American West who witnesses the rapid expansion of the railroad. The film offers a beautiful and heartbreaking exploration of a life lived on the periphery of historical change.
- Where to Watch: Streamable on Netflix.
- Nominations:
- Best Picture
- Best Adapted Screenplay
- Best Cinematography
- Best Original Song (“Train Dreams”).
Hamnet
Image: Universal.
Based on Maggie O’Farrell’s celebrated novel and helmed by Chloé Zhao, this film features Jessie Buckley as Agnes and Paul Mescal as her husband, William Shakespeare. It delves into the profound grief experienced by the couple following the death of their 11-year-old son, Hamnet, and how this tragedy ultimately inspired the creation of Hamlet. While not a strictly factual account, it presents a fictionalised yet emotionally resonant portrayal of true events. Buckley’s performance is widely expected to earn her the Best Actress Oscar, given her dominant awards season run.
- Where to Watch: Now showing in cinemas.
- Nominations:
- Best Picture
- Best Director (Chloé Zhao)
- Best Actress (Jessie Buckley)
- Best Adapted Screenplay
- Best Production Design
- Best Costume Design
- Best Original Score
- Best Casting.
K-Pop Demon Hunters
Image: Netflix.
This animated musical was a major talking point upon its release in 2025 and has now earned its place at the Academy Awards. The story follows Huntrix, a K-pop girl group who secretly lead double lives as demon hunters. They harness their vocal talents to maintain a magical shield against malevolent spirits, all while navigating the intense pressures of global stardom. It’s a vibrant, entertaining film with catchy tunes that are sure to linger.
- Where to Watch: Streamable on Netflix.
- Nominations:
- Best Animated Feature.
- Best Original Song (“Golden” by EJAE and Mark Sonnenblick).
F1
Image: Supplied.
From the producers behind Top Gun: Maverick, this high-octane film stars Brad Pitt as Sonny Hayes, a retired race car driver who returns to the track after three decades to mentor a talented rookie, played by Damson Idris. The film is a fast-paced, high-stakes spectacle filmed at actual Grand Prix events, featuring cameos from real Formula 1 drivers. While one anonymous voter reportedly championed it for Best Picture, its strengths are more likely to be recognised in the technical categories.
- Where to Watch: Available on Apple TV+.
- Nominations:
- Best Picture
- Best Film Editing
- Best Sound
- Best Visual Effects.
Sentimental Value
Image: Supplied.
This critically acclaimed Norwegian family drama from director Joachim Trier explores complex familial relationships. Renate Reinsve plays Nora, an actress battling stage fright who must confront her estranged director father, Gustav Borg (Stellan Skarsgård), following her mother’s death. Elle Fanning also features as an American actress drawn into the family’s creative dynamic when she takes on one of Gustav’s projects.
- Where to Watch: In cinemas. Also available for rent or purchase on Prime Video, Google Play, and Apple TV+.
- Nominations:
- Best Picture
- Best Director (Joachim Trier)
- Best Actress (Renate Reinsve)
- Best Supporting Actor (Stellan Skarsgård)
- Best Supporting Actress (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas and Elle Fanning)
- Best Original Screenplay
- Best International Feature (Norway)
- Best Film Editing.
If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Image: Supplied.
Rose Byrne has earned significant praise for her portrayal of Linda, a burnt-out therapist and mother grappling with her daughter’s mysterious illness and a literal hole in her ceiling. The film offers a darkly comedic examination of the intense pressures of motherhood, featuring a rare dramatic turn from Conan O’Brien and a standout performance from ASAP Rocky. While Byrne’s Golden Globe win was celebrated, her Oscar chances are slim against strong competition, though her performance is undeniably remarkable.
- Where to Watch: Available for rent on Google Play, Apple TV+, or Prime Video.
- Nominations:
- Best Actress (Rose Byrne).
One Battle After Another
Image: Supplied.
This is a major contender, marking a collaboration between Paul Thomas Anderson and Leonardo DiCaprio. With 13 nominations, including Best Picture, the film boasts an impressive supporting cast, including Regina Hall, Benicio del Toro, and the remarkable Teyana Taylor. DiCaprio plays a washed-up, ex-revolutionary living off the grid with his daughter, whose life takes a sharp turn when a corrupt military officer from his past resurfaces.
- Where to Watch: Streamable on HBO Max. Also available for rent or purchase on Apple TV+ or Google Play.
- Nominations:
- Best Picture
- Best Director (Paul Thomas Anderson)
- Best Actor (Leonardo DiCaprio)
- Best Supporting Actor (Benicio del Toro and Sean Penn)
- Best Supporting Actress (Teyana Taylor)
- Best Adapted Screenplay
- Best Casting
- Best Cinematography
- Best Film Editing
- Best Sound
- Best Original Score
- Best Production Design.
The Secret Agent
Image: Supplied.
Directed by Kleber Mendonça Filho, this political thriller is set in Brazil in 1977, amidst a brutal military dictatorship. The film follows Marcelo (Wagner Moura), a persecuted former professor living in hiding in Recife, who adopts a new identity while navigating a world of paranoia, surveillance, and the constant threat of discovery.
- Where to Watch: Now showing in cinemas.
- Nominations:
- Best Picture
- Best Actor (Wagner Moura)
- Best Casting
- Best International Feature (Brazil).
Bugonia
Image: Supplied.
This marks the fourth collaboration between Emma Stone and director Yorgos Lanthimos. An English-language remake of the 2003 South Korean film Save the Green Planet, Bugonia is a dark sci-fi comedy thriller. It centres on two conspiracy theorists (Jesse Plemons and Aidan Delbis) who abduct a powerful CEO (Stone), believing her to be an alien intent on destroying Earth.
- Where to Watch: Available for rent or purchase on Google Play, Apple TV+, or Prime Video.
- Nominations:
- Best Picture
- Best Actress (Emma Stone)
- Best Adapted Screenplay
- Best Original Score.
Weapons
Image: HBO Max.
From the visionary director of Barbarian, Zach Cregger, comes this multi-layered horror epic that will leave you on the edge of your seat. Julia Garner stars as a teacher whose entire third-grade class mysteriously vanishes overnight, with only one boy remaining. The film is gritty, non-linear, and features a terrifying performance from Amy Madigan, who has earned a Best Supporting Actress nomination. Having already won an Actor Award, she is a strong contender for an Oscar.
- Where to Watch: Streamable on HBO Max. Also available for rent or purchase on Google Play, Apple TV+, or Prime Video.
- Nominations:
- Best Supporting Actress (Amy Madigan).
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Image: Supplied.
This powerful docudrama recounts the tragic story of a young Palestinian girl trapped in a car under fire in Gaza. The film reconstructs phone calls between the girl and emergency responders at the Palestine Red Crescent Society dispatch centre. It features performances by Saja Kilani, Motaz Malhees, Amer Hlehel, and Clara Khoury. The film previously won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2025 Venice Film Festival.
- Where to Watch: Now showing in cinemas.
- Nominations:
- Best International Feature (Tunisia).
Song Sung Blue
Image: Supplied.
Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson star as Mike and Claire Sardina, a real-life couple who perform as a Neil Diamond tribute band called “Lightning & Thunder.” This sweet musical drama chronicles their romantic journey and the series of successful (and often chaotic) shows they performed throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
- Where to Watch: In cinemas.
- Nominations:
- Best Actress (Kate Hudson).
Blue Moon
Image: Sony.
Directed by Richard Linklater, this film primarily unfolds over a single night in a bar in 1943. Lyricist Lorenz Hart (Ethan Hawke) confronts his shattered self-confidence on the very night his former collaborator, Richard Rodgers (Andrew Scott), is set to achieve a major breakthrough with his groundbreaking musical, “Oklahoma!”
- Where to Watch: In cinemas.
- Nominations:
- Best Actor (Ethan Hawke).
- Best Original Screenplay.
