2026 GOLDEN GLOBES NOMINATIONS: AWARDS SEASON BEGINS WITH SURPRISES AND NEW FAVORITES

In a year marked by bold gambles and a Hollywood in full reinvention, the cinematic conversation is heating up once again. The Golden Globes return to take the creative pulse of an industry that never stops mutating.

With voters from 95 countries and a body of 400 international journalists, the 83rd edition of the Golden Globes confirms an increasingly global cinematic landscape, where films from Brazil, South Korea, France, and Norway compete head-to-head in central categories. The January 11 ceremony, hosted by comedian Nikki Glaser, will serve as the first major temperature check ahead of the Oscars, whose nominations will arrive just days later.

And perhaps most notably: this edition comes wrapped in unusually high interest, fueled by the diversity of styles in contention, the rise of international powerhouses, and an awards campaign promising to be one of the most unpredictable and fiercely contested of the last decade.

Below, a film-by-film breakdown of the main nominations and highlights.

“ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER”

(9 NOMINATIONS)

The year’s frontrunner is Paul Thomas Anderson’s dark comedy starring Leonardo DiCaprio in one of his freest performances yet: a revolutionary trapped in a political labyrinth filled with intrigue and formidable women.

Main nominations:
– Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
– Best Director (Paul Thomas Anderson)
– Best Actor (Leonardo DiCaprio)
– Best Actress (Chase Infiniti)
– Best Supporting Actor (Benicio del Toro, Sean Penn)
– Best Supporting Actress (Teyana Taylor)
– Best Screenplay (Anderson)
– Best Original Score (Jonny Greenwood)

Its acidic tone, political commentary and an ensemble cast buzzing with manic energy stand out. Its return to IMAX screens further fuels enthusiasm and solidifies its status as the comedic reference point of the season.

“SENTIMENTAL VALUE” (8 NOMINATIONS)

Joachim Trier’s film about the fractured relationship between an anxious actress and her filmmaker father made an unexpectedly strong entrance.

Main nominations:
– Best Motion Picture – Drama & Best Foreign Language Film
– Best Director (Joachim Trier)
– Best Actress – Drama (Renate Reinsve)
– Best Supporting Actress (Elle Fanning, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas)
– Best Supporting Actor (Stellan Skarsgård)
– Best Screenplay (Trier and Eskil Vogt)

An intimate drama with highly praised performances, especially Reinsve’s precise vulnerability. It is the auteur alternative of the season.

“SINNERS”

(7 NOMINATIONS)

Directed by Ryan Coogler, this mix of supernatural elements and historical critique became one of the cultural hits of the year.

Main nominations:
– Best Motion Picture – Drama
– Best Director (Ryan Coogler)
– Best Actor – Drama (Michael B. Jordan)
– Best Screenplay (Coogler)
– Best Original Score (Ludwig Göransson)

Its reading of human horrors through the vampire myth turned it into a phenomenon, sustaining conversation months after release.

“HAMNET” (5 NOMINATIONS)

Chloé Zhao adapts Maggie O’Farrell’s novel to portray grief and the domestic life of the playwright.

Main nominations:
– Best Motion Picture – Drama
– Best Director (Chloé Zhao)
– Best Actress – Drama (Jessie Buckley)
– Best Supporting Actor (Paul Mescal)
– Best Screenplay (Zhao and O’Farrell)
– Best Original Score (Max Richter)

A poetic and restrained approach to the Shakespeare myth, anchored by Buckley’s austere and devastating performance.

“FRANKENSTEIN” (5 NOMINATIONS)

The Mexican filmmaker revisits the literary myth with a refined aesthetic and a powerful cast.

Main nominations:
– Best Motion Picture – Drama
– Best Director (Guillermo del Toro)
– Best Actor – Drama (Oscar Isaac)
– Best Supporting Actor (Jacob Elordi)
– Best Original Score (Alexandre Desplat)

Its presence reaffirms Del Toro’s visual command and solidifies Isaac as a major acting force this year.

“WICKED: FOR GOOD” (5 NOMINATIONS)

Despite being a cultural and commercial phenomenon, the musical sequel was not nominated for Best Picture or Best Director.

Main nominations:
– Best Actress – Musical/Comedy (Cynthia Erivo)
– Best Supporting Actress (Ariana Grande)
– Best Original Song (two nominations)
– Cinematic and Box Office Achievement

Its absence in major categories has sparked debate about critical reception and inflated expectations.

“BUGONIA” – LANTHIMOS’ APOCALYPTIC SATIRE

With Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons among the nominees, the film will compete in the Best Comedy category, where Yorgos Lanthimos once again displays his signature style: biting irony, uncomfortable humor, and an almost entomological reading of human relationships.
In a year dominated by ambitious satires and dramas disguised as farce, his film emerges as the genre’s “dark alternative,” one that challenges conventions without losing commercial appeal.

INTERNATIONAL CINEMA

In addition to Norway, the competition includes:
– “A Simple Accident” (France) – Best Motion Picture – Drama; Best Director (Jafar Panahi); Best Screenplay
– “The Secret Agent” (Brazil) – Best Motion Picture – Drama & Foreign Language; Wagner Moura for Best Actor – Drama
– “No Other Choice” (South Korea) – Best Comedy & Best Foreign Language Film

The foreign block is more robust than ever, signaling a clear shift toward a globalized awards landscape.

TELEVISION: DOMINATION OF “THE WHITE LOTUS” AND “ADOLESCENCE”

On the small screen, “The White Lotus” leads with six nominations, cementing its status as one of the most incisive and socially sharp dramas on television.
It is followed by “Adolescence,” Netflix’s crime miniseries and one of the most talked-about titles of the season. “Severance,” Apple TV+’s corporate thriller, and “Only Murders in the Building,” Hulu’s mystery-comedy, round out the strong group with multiple nominations in acting and series categories.
Although the exact numbers vary by category, all stand as central players in a particularly competitive television race.

With the January 11 ceremony in Beverly Hills, the Golden Globes will arrive as the first major test ahead of the Oscars a preview of how symbolic power might shift in an industry undergoing profound transformation. The geographic breadth of the nominations, the presence of veteran filmmakers alongside emerging voices, and the renewed prominence of international cinema suggest that this season will be less predictable than previous ones.
More than crowning favorites, the Globes seem poised to open a new playing field, where each win or omission will carry direct consequences in the race for the coveted golden statuette.