5 Movies That Should Have Been Nominated At The 2026 Oscars (But Weren't)
For the first time in a long, long time, the 98th Academy Awards delivers nominations that don't have me rolling my eyes. The results are pretty impressive, with Ryan Coogler's Sinners (2025) deservedly breaking records with 16 nominations across the board. If it were up to me, they'd also win in every category. Frankenstein (2025) also got an impressive nine nominations. Yet, despite how overwhelmingly positive the nominations are this season, there are still a few snubs to consider.
Many viewers expected Wicked: For Good (2025) to be part of the running considering how well Wicked (2024) did, but it's almost understandable when we look into the fact that the Broadway show's ACT II is also weaker than its beginning. Still, a few nominations are more shocking than they are understandable. Here are five movies that deserved Oscar nominations in 2026, as well as where you can stream them on HBO Max, Netflix, and more.
Eva Victor's Sorry, Baby is the most masterful debut I've seen in a long, long time, so the fact that she's snubbed for both Original Screenplay and Best Actress is shocking. Here's the thing: Sometimes, even if a debut is good, it's not always sensational. It effectively showcases the writer and director's talents, but it almost hints to us that better things are coming because they're that good now. But Sorry, Baby is also the type of debut that Oscar voters typically love.
I was so convinced that it'd surprise everyone the same way that Celine Song's Past Lives (2023) did, so the fact that there's absolutely no recognition for it is unfortunate. It's not the easiest movie to watch as it addresses sexual assault, but it's a hauntingly transparent character study that's worth watching for how real and relatable it is.
While Rian Johnson's Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery has some pacing issues and it's far from a perfect film, it's thematically his strongest inclusion in the Knives Out (2019) universe. The supporting cast of characters is all exceptional, and the screenplay is as sharp as ever. Still, I expected that there'd be very little for it in terms of nominations. Still, color me thoroughly shocked that there's nothing for Josh O'Connor.
O'Connor delivered some of his finest performances last year with Rebuilding (2025), The Mastermind (2025), and The History of Sound (2025) alongside his embodiment of Father Jud, so it's wild how we aren't recognizing his body of work. While there are a number of incredible actors nominated this year, O'Connor deserves the recognition for Wake Up Dead Man the most. He was my personal MVP of the year.
While many audience members haven't had the chance to watch The Testament of Ann Lee yet, surely Academy Award voters have. And the fact that it's snubbed across the board without even a single costume nomination as the bare minimum is wildly unfair. More than anything, Amanda Seyfried also deserves the recognition for her work.
Seyfried consistently delivers incredible work when it comes to roles that involve singing. In the same way that she floors you in Les Misérables (2008), she does the same here in The Testament of Ann Lee. It's without a doubt the most underrated movie of 2025, and it's one that I hope will catch a cult following later on because it deserves all the hype for its creative means of telling a compelling true story.
I went back and forth a lot about whether Rental Family or Rebuilding is the bigger snub, but perhaps voters were concerned that Rebuilding would feel too much like the previous winner, Nomadland (2020). That said, Rental Family is one of the biggest surprises of the year. As a film that's so honest and transparent, it's mostly shocking that there's no nomination for Japanese filmmaker Hikari in the directing category.
I personally would've also nominated Brendan Fraser in the Best Actor category, but with a sea of phenomenal performances this year, it's understandable that he would be left out. Still, Rental Family is a gorgeously moving story about found families and the importance of looking out for people. It's reflective and honest, and it deserves recognition for its production and cinematography as well.
Like Sorry, Baby, I was convinced that Steve would be the kind of underdog to come out on top and surprise everyone with its nominations. Cillian Murphy surely deserves a nod for his performance, but at the same time, so does Tim Mielants for his directing. The screenplay is also fantastic, but the nominations for director and actor would've been most deserved.
If you loved Dead Poets Society (1989) growing up or even the more recent The Holdovers (2023), you'd enjoy the message in Steve despite its darker themes. It's a captivating must-watch for the vulnerability and exceptional performances from the whole cast, as well as the distinct directorial approach. If nothing else, I hope this one also gains traction later down the line and gets the recognition it deserves with more viewers.
