The horror genre is one of great creativity and innovation, but looking at the history of the Academy Awards, you’d hardly know it. A handful have broken through to score wins and nominations, sometimes in dramatic fashion – The Silence of the Lambs is one of only three films ever to win Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, and Screenplay – but the list of genre films and filmmakers overlooked by the Oscars is far longer. Hollywood has viewed certain types of movies as worthy of awards consideration, and horror hasn’t often been one of them.
Things have changed in recent years, however. The Academy has made a concerted effort to diversify its membership, and as a result, its taste has broadened. International and indie films have perhaps benefitted the most, but horror is also breaking down the traditional barriers. Last year’s Oscars saw The Substance, a clever and quite gnarly body horror movie, break into the Best Picture ten as one of its five nominations, and it felt like a real leap forward for the genre’s awards representation.
That’s going to pale in comparison to the 2026 Academy Awards. This is going to be horror’s biggest year ever, and if things break its way, its dominance could be the biggest story of the night.
Horror Will Be Everywhere At The 2026 Oscars, And It Could Win Big
Michael B Jordan as Smoke and Stacks in Sinners
Depending on your definitions, only seven horror/thriller movies have ever been nominated for Best Picture. That number could grow by almost half this year.
Sinners is one of the defining movie phenomena of 2025, having overcome budget handwringing to become the seventh highest-grossing film of the year at the domestic box office, and it approaches the Oscar nominations as one of the frontrunners in a tight, exciting race. At this point, it would be shocking if Ryan Coogler’s vampire film didn’t surpass The Exorcist‘s ten nominations to set the genre’s new record; in fact, there’s speculation that Sinners could break the all-time Oscar nominations record.
If the precursor awards shows are any indication, Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein will be right alongside it. The new adaptation of Mary Shelley’s seminal novel overcame a disappointing Venice Film Festival kickoff to become the sleeper of the 2026 awards season. After top-prize nominations by SAG-AFTRA, PGA, and DGA, as well as appearances on BAFTA’s shortlists, Frankenstein earning a spot in the Best Picture lineup is looking like a sure thing. Odds are, it’ll appear in several other categories as well.
The Creature dressed in fur in Frankenstein
And finally, Weapons has been a dark horse pick since becoming a breakthrough hit over the summer, and its chances seem to be trending up. Amy Madigan, who played the compellingly terrifying Aunt Gladys, has solidified her place in a crowded Best Supporting Actress field, and the positive buzz around her has only helped the film. Weapons is nominated for the top prize at the PGA Awards, signaling support from a key branch of the Academy. It currently sits on the bubble, but with Oscar nominations voting set for next week, it’s cresting at just the right time.
All three making it in would already make 2026 a landmark year for horror, but those films could also get their names called all evening. Madigan could well win Best Supporting Actress, while Jacob Elordi, who played Frankenstein‘s Creature, is a leading contender for Best Supporting Actor. Sinners is expected to duke it out with Hamnet, Marty Supreme, and especially One Battle After Another for all manner of prizes, including Best Picture. Though PTA’s acclaimed film has been an awards season juggernaut, no one would be shocked to see Sinners finish as this year’s most-awarded movie.
Major wins for all three of these films would send a powerful message, but if the nominations come rolling in as expected, the point will already be clear: The Academy’s officially in on horror, and there’s no going back.
