Only These 3 Movies (And Studios) Have Won the Oscars' 'Big Five'
There is a real possibility that we will see one movie studio join a very elite club during the 2026 Oscars. Both Sinners and One Battle After Another have picked up nominations in just about every category going this year. A sweep for either could well see them steal the record for the most wins by one movie (the current record stands at 11).
That would be huge for Warner Bros., of course, but when it comes to the ‘Big Five’ – which comprises Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Screenplay – it is only A24 or Neon that could achieve the very rare feat.
They would need surprise wins for the likes of Sentimental Value and The Secret Agent (both Neon) or Marty Supreme and If I Had Legs I’d Kick You (both A24), but stranger things have happened when it comes to the Academy Awards.
While we wait to see what happens at the 98th Oscars ceremony, let’s take a look at the three movies that have achieved the ‘Big Five’ in the past, and the studios that also managed it across different projects in the same year.
MGM, United Artists, & A24 Have Also Completed ‘The Big Five’
If Neon can do the unthinkable this year, it’ll become the fourth studio to bag the ‘Big Five’. However, that’s something A24 has already done once before, and not so long ago, either.
In 2023, the cult studio celebrated as Everything Everywhere All At Once took home seven Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director(s), Best Original Screenplay, and the Best Actress award for Michelle Yeoh. They were all deserved, too: the emotional time travel comedy hits all the right notes and is one of the funniest films of the last decade.
However, to complete the ‘Big Five’, A24 needed a little help from Brendan Fraser, who won the Best Actor award for his role in The Whale. The tone of this one could not be any further from Everything Everywhere All At Once, though we shouldn’t be surprised – Darren Aronofsky loves to put together gruelling, uncomfortable watches. Still, Fraser was outstanding, and this award was a real full-circle moment for the actor who had suffered through health problems and personal issues before making his big comeback.
Before that, you’d have to go back to 1977 for the last time a studio had bagged the ‘Big Five’ across two or more films. United Artists had a really good year, with Sylvester Stallone taking everyone by surprise with his rousing sports drama, Rocky. The boxing movie won Best Picture and Best Director, though it could and maybe should have also added the Best Original Screenplay to that list. The dialogue and the simple but sweet narrative here are truly magical, and it’s no wonder the franchise has blossomed ever since.
However, it was Network that took the screenplay award, and the scintillating Sidney Lumet picture also dominated the acting categories, with Peter Finch and Faye Dunaway winning for their roles. This movie is a blistering depiction of the powerful impact of news broadcasting on our society, as well as how easily public opinion can be swayed by certain rhetoric. Sounds eerily relevant, doesn’t it? Catch it on Prime Video before it leaves at the end of March, or rent it for £3.49 on Sky Store.
Just five years after It Happened One Night recorded the first ever ‘Big Five’ sweep, MGM managed to become the first studio to achieve that same feat. That was largely down to the success of its sweeping war epic, Gone With The Wind, which only failed to land the Best Actor award out of the five top categories. As is often the case in Oscars history, if Clark Gable had not won back in 1935, there’s a good chance he might have bagged the award this year anyway.
While problematic in many respects, Gone With the Wind has a sumptuous aesthetic that embellishes a wonderfully moving, if not intense, story. You can rent this classic on Rakuten TV for £3.49, and you’re guaranteed to get your money’s worth – just make sure you set out enough spare time (four hours!) to watch it all.
MGM needed Goodbye, Mr Chips to complete the set in 1940, with Robert Donat taking home the Best Actor award for his portrayal of the titular character. It’s a lovely film about the heartwarming effect one very special teacher has on the lives of his students, and while this was the only Oscar it won, it was not only warranted but was also a historic moment in the history of cinema and for the studio.
The ‘Big Five’ was first achieved way back in 1935, by the classic Frank Capra rom-com, It Happened One Night. As is always the case with Capra, this movie is imbued with heart and charm thanks to his masterful direction, both from a visual point of view and in the flow of the narrative.
But it’s the performances of Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert that really steal the show. In this enemies-to-lovers story, the pair share a wonderful chemistry from the very first moment they meet. It’s not surprising that the Academy were bowled over by them. This film is the blueprint for all that have followed that same trope; if it wasn’t for It Happened One Night, we would never have gotten Shrek. You can buy this movie on Apple TV for just £2.99, which is actually cheaper than renting, believe it or not.
1975 was a phenomenal year for film, with the likes of Jaws, Barry Lyndon, and Dog Day Afternoon all vying for glory at the Oscars. However, it was Milos Forman’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest that stole the show on the big night. After being a critical and commercial hit, the adaptation of Ken Kesey’s novel took home the main prize, while also getting recognition for the performances of Jack Nicholson and Louise Fletcher, who plays the twisted Nurse Ratched.
Nicholson, in particular, is a revelation, going from a wildcard bundle of energy to a desperate, unrecognisable shell of his former self as Randle McMurphy. It’s a movie with thought-provoking themes and an underlying sense of dread, similar to the way Shutter Island uses a similar premise and setting to get under your skin. You’ll have to buy this title if you want to watch it at the moment (£5.99 on Prime Video is the best price), but adding a film like this to your collection could be the best thing you do this month.
This film made history in 1992 when it became the first horror movie to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards. While it’s a surprise that hadn’t happened before, it’s not at all shocking that The Silence of the Lambs swept the board that year. The film is a gripping, gritty cat-and-mouse story of a serial killer, a psychopath, and an FBI rookie, which is interesting enough on its own, but it’s the central performances of Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster that really cemented this movie’s success.
Hopkins absolutely loses himself in the role of Hannibal Lecter, with spine-chilling line deliveries and an incredible physical portrayal of the iconic character. Meanwhile, Foster’s stoic, nuanced depiction of a young woman battling against psychological manipulation to solve very visceral, violent crimes is still seen as the gold standard for writing and bringing strong, interesting female characters to the screen today. This classic is on Prime Video and MUBI right now, if you dare to watch it.
