Movies With the Most Oscar Nominations in History
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The Academy Awards (Oscars) are the highest honour in filmmaking, and a few films stand out for earning exceptional numbers of nominations, both historically and in the modern era. Below, we break down the biggest nomination achievers ever — including the record-setting 2026 Oscar season.
Current Oscar Record-Holder: Sinners (2025)
• Most Oscar nominations ever: 16 nominations
Ryan Coogler’s Sinners set a new Academy Awards record by receiving 16 nominations at the 98th Oscars, surpassing the long-standing top nominees in Oscar history. The film picked up nods across major categories, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Supporting Actress.
This marks the first time any film has reached 16 nominations — several classic films previously held the top spot at 14.
Legendary Oscar Leaders (Traditionally Most-Nominated Films)
Before Sinners’ record, the following films were tied for the most Oscar nominations in history:
| Film | Year | Oscar Nominations |
|---|---|---|
| All About Eve | 1950 | 14 nominations |
| Titanic | 1997 | 14 nominations |
| La La Land | 2016 | 14 nominations |
These films each garnered 14 nominations in their respective years, a benchmark dominated for decades before Sinners.
Additional Highly Nominated Films
Several other films have also earned large numbers of Oscar nods (typically 13), marking them among the most recognised films in Academy history:
Films with 13 nominations:
- Gone with the Wind (1939)
- From Here to Eternity (1953)
- Mary Poppins (1964)
- Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)
- Forrest Gump (1994)
- Shakespeare in Love (1998)
- The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
- Chicago (2002)
- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
- Emilia Pérez (2024)
- One Battle After Another (2025)
These films span genres and eras, from animated musicals to historical dramas and epic fantasies.
What This Means for the Oscars — and Hollywood
Breaking the long-standing 14-nomination ceiling is more than just a trivia milestone. When a film racks up nominations across acting, directing, writing, technical categories, and score, it signals something bigger: broad Academy support across multiple branches. In other words, it’s not just one standout performance or a flashy visual effect carrying the film — it’s recognition of the entire production machine behind it.
Historically, movies that receive the most nominations tend to dominate awards night conversations. Titanic famously converted its 14 nominations into 11 wins, tying the record for most Oscars won by a single film. La La Land became a cultural phenomenon (and part of Oscar lore) after tying the record for most nominations in 2016. Even films that don’t sweep often cement their legacy simply by being in that top tier of recognition.
A record-breaking nomination count can also shape box office performance. Oscar buzz frequently translates into renewed ticket sales, streaming spikes, and international attention. Studios often re-release or expand screenings of heavily nominated films, capitalizing on awards momentum.
There’s also an industry ripple effect. When a film earns nominations across technical categories — cinematography, editing, costume design, production design — it spotlights behind-the-scenes talent that may otherwise go unnoticed by mainstream audiences. These recognition waves can boost careers, open doors for future projects, and influence the types of stories studios choose to greenlight next.
In short, earning the most Oscar nominations isn’t just about prestige. It signals cultural impact, industry consensus, and long-term legacy.
Quick Facts About Oscar Nomination Records
- Most nominations ever: 16 (set by Sinners at the 98th Academy Awards).
- Previous record: 14 nominations, jointly held for decades by All About Eve (1950), Titanic (1997), and La La Land (2016).
- Films with 13 nominations: A diverse group spanning nearly a century of cinema, from Gone with the Wind to The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and beyond.
- Most Oscars won by a single film: 11 (achieved by Ben-Hur, Titanic, and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King).
- Why nomination totals matter: High nomination counts often indicate cross-category support, meaning actors, directors, writers, and technical branches all ranked the film highly.
Interestingly, nomination records are rarely broken. The Academy has expanded and evolved over the decades, adding categories and diversifying membership, yet the 14-nomination benchmark stood firm for generations before finally being surpassed. That makes each new record not just impressive, but historically significant.
And while wins ultimately determine Oscar night glory, nomination counts tell a different story — one about consensus, momentum, and the films that captured Hollywood’s full attention in a given year.
You might also want to read: 2026 Oscar Nominations: Full List, New Categories & Frontrunners
