The 31st Annual Critics Choice Awards announced nominations for both Television and Film today. Sinners and Adolescence lead the pack.
The 31st Annual Critics Choice Awards officially kicked off awards season today, with the announcement of nominees across film and television. The competition is fierce, making this year’s voting process for members a truly daunting task – as a member myself, I can attest to that!
The Critics Choice Awards ceremony, hosted once again by the incomparable Chelsea Handler, will air LIVE on E! and USA Network on Sunday, January 4, 2026.
Film: “Sinners” Dominates the Big Screen
The film categories are overwhelmingly led by Ryan Coogler’s Sinners, which secured an astounding 17 nominations, coming within a whisker of matching the all-time record set by Barbie two years ago. Close behind is the major contender One Battle After Another with 14 nominations.
Key Film Nominations:
Best Picture: Sinners is a clear frontrunner here, headlining a packed field that also includes Bugonia, Frankenstein, Hamnet, Jay Kelly, Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another, Sentimental Value, Train Dreams, and Wicked: For Good.
Acting and Directing: The recognition for Sinners extended to its cast and crew, including nods for Michael B. Jordan (Best Actor), Wunmi Mosaku (Best Supporting Actress), and Miles Caton (Best Young Actor / Actress). Ryan Coogler also picked up dual nominations for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay.
Ensemble Power: The inclusion of Sinners in the newly added Best Casting and Ensemble category speaks volumes about the collective performance.
Best Animated Feature: This category highlights some of the year’s most creative projects, including nominations for:
- Arco (Neon)
- Elio (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
- In Your Dreams (Netflix)
- KPop Demon Hunters (Netflix)
- Little Amélie or the Character of Rain (GKIDS)
- Zootopia 2 (Walt Disney Animation Studios)
Television: Adolescence Leads the Pack
On the small screen, the competition is just as tight, with streaming giants like Netflix and HBO Max leading the overall network count.
Limited Series Leader: The Netflix limited series Adolescence is the top-nominated TV contender with six total nominations, including a nod for Best Limited Series.
Limited Series Acting Showcase: Adolescence dominated the limited series acting races, securing nominations for Stephen Graham (Best Actor) and multiple Supporting Actor and Actress nods for Owen Cooper, Ashley Walters, Erin Doherty, and Christine Tremarco.
Drama Series Contenders: The prestigious Best Drama Series category includes major recognition for:
- Alien: Earth (FX)
- Andor (Disney+)
- The Diplomat (Netflix)
- Paradise (Hulu)
- The Pitt (HBO Max)
- Pluribus (Apple TV)
- Severance (Apple TV)
- Task (HBO Max)
Comedy Series: Another major player, Nobody Wants This, earned five nominations across the comedy categories, which also saw strong showings for other beloved series.
It’s truly a remarkable year for film and television, and casting a vote that feels worthy of these achievements will be incredibly hard. Congratulations to all the nominees!
NEXT: Adam McArthur on Star vs. The Forces of Evil, Jujutsu Kaisen, and the Golden Age of Anime
Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. On Camera personality and TV / Film Critic with 10+ years of experience in video editing, writing, editing, moderating, and hosting.