Streaming giants drive Critics Choice spotlight

The 31st Critics Choice Awards moved a step closer to awards-season dominance as organisers unveiled a sweeping slate of film and television contenders, offering an early look at the productions likely to shape the industry conversation heading into 2026.

The nominations were announced during a livestream hosted by Keltie Knight and Erin Lim Rhodes on December 5, with the Critics Choice Association confirming that the ceremony will take place on January 4 in Santa Monica.

Comedian Chelsea Handler returns as host for the fourth consecutive year, quipping earlier that beginning a new year "with a room full of critics ready to tell you how you did last year" felt like an oddly fitting tradition.

This year's lineup spans the industry's busiest categories, highlighting heavyweight contenders such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Ariana Grande, Paul Mescal and Emma Stone, alongside ensemble standouts from several major 2025 releases.

The nominations also reflect a broad studio spread, with Netflix, Warner Bros., A24, Neon and Universal each securing strong recognition across performance, writing and craft categories.

On the television side, a competitive mix of prestige dramas, crowd-pleasing comedies and global series dominated the field, underscoring a market still defined by streaming platforms and shifting audience behaviour.

The breadth of selections signals a wide-open race ahead of the ceremony, which traditionally acts as one of the season's earliest indicators of momentum. For studios, networks and performers seeking traction, the Critics Choice Awards remain a closely watched benchmark.

Netflix and Warner Bros. led the field, with 'Sinners' emerging as the most-nominated title at 17 nods, spanning acting, direction and multiple technical categories including visual effects, sound and stunt design. The haul gives Netflix one of its strongest awards-season positions in years.

Warner Bros. also scored a major sweep with 'One Battle After Another', earning 12 nominations across performance, directing, writing and several crafts, making it the studio's most broadly supported contender and a significant challenger in the upper tier.

Focus Features secured a powerful presence with 'Hamnet', which collected 11 nominations across acting, directing, adapted writing and design categories, marking it as the distributor's most decorated release of the year and a consistent favourite across artistic branches.

Netflix strengthened its footprint through 'Frankenstein', which landed 10 nominations including direction, adapted screenplay, cinematography and a broad technical showing, reinforcing the streamer's status as one of the season's toughest competitors beyond its lead with 'Sinners'. A24 and Neon followed with mid-tier totals led by 'Marty Supreme' with eight nominations and 'Sentimental Value' with seven, matched by Universal's 'Wicked: For Good', underscoring a field where prestige independents continued to hold firm against major studio campaigns.

In the film race, major contenders for Best Picture include 'Bugonia', 'Frankenstein', 'Hamnet', 'Jay Kelly', 'Marty Supreme', 'One Battle After Another', 'Sentimental Value', 'Sinners', 'Train Dreams' and 'Wicked: For Good', signalling an unusually broad and competitive line-up.

Performances driving those films include turns by Timothee Chalamet, Leonardo DiCaprio, Joel Edgerton, Ethan Hawke, Michael B Jordan and Wagner Moura, while Jessie Buckley, Rose Byrne, Chase Infiniti, Renate Reinsve, Amanda Seyfried and Emma Stone anchor the Best Actress race.

Supporting categories also feature a densely contested field, with Benicio del Toro, Jacob Elordi, Paul Mescal, Sean Penn, Adam Sandler and Stellan Skarsgård among the actors recognised.

Elle Fanning, Ariana Grande, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Amy Madigan, Wunmi Mosaku and Teyana Taylor lead the supporting actresses' slate, while young performers Everett Blunck, Miles Caton, Cary Christopher, Shannon Mahina Gorman, Jacobi Jupe and Nina Ye round out the breakthrough category.

Television nominations for Best Drama Series range from 'Alien: Earth' and 'Andor' to 'The Diplomat', 'Paradise', 'The Pitt', 'Pluribus', 'Severance' and 'Task', reflecting a packed field. Acting honours in the drama categories recognise Sterling K. Brown, Diego Luna, Mark Ruffalo, Adam Scott, Billy Bob Thornton and Noah Wyle, alongside leading actresses Kathy Bates, Carrie Coon, Britt Lower, Bella Ramsey, Keri Russell and Rhea Seehorn.

Supporting drama performers include Patrick Ball, Billy Crudup, Ato Essandoh, Wood Harris, Tom Pelphrey and Tramell Tillman, with Nicole Beharie, Denée Benton, Allison Janney, Katherine LaNasa, Greta Lee and Skye P. Marshall recognised among the women.

Comedy Series contenders include 'Abbott Elementary', 'Elsbeth', 'Ghosts', 'Hacks', 'Nobody Wants This', 'Only Murders in the Building', 'The Righteous Gemstones' and 'The Studio'.

In comedy acting, Adam Brody, Ted Danson, David Alan Grier, Danny McBride, Seth Rogen and Alexander Skarsgård lead the men's field, while Kristen Bell, Natasha Lyonne, Rose McIver, Edi Patterson, Carrie Preston and Jean Smart make up the women's slate.

The limited-series categories remain equally competitive with titles such as 'Adolescence', 'All Her Fault', 'Chief of War', 'Death by Lightning', 'Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy', 'Dope Thief', 'Dying for Sex' and 'The Girlfriend'.

Made-for-television films including 'Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy', 'Deep Cover', 'The Gorge', 'Mountainhead', 'Nonnas' and 'Summer of '69' also feature prominently across acting and craft divisions.

Foreign-language series competing this year include 'Acapulco', 'Last Samurai Standing', 'Mussolini: Son of the Century', 'Red Alert', 'Squid Game' and 'When No One Sees Us'. Animated series nominees include 'Bob's Burgers', 'Harley Quinn', 'Long Story Short', 'Marvel Zombies', 'South Park' and 'Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man'.

With such a broad and varied slate, this year's Critics Choice Awards stand as the first major benchmark of the 2026 awards season, offering a comprehensive snapshot of the industry's shifting ambitions and artistic momentum.