“Sinners” Vs. “One Battle After Another” Best Picture Duel

HOLLYWOOD—I must say I have not been this excited for a Best Picture battle at the Academy Awards since 2014. Why? I thought 2013 had one of the best years of cinema. I mean the movies that were being cranked out were incredible. The most notorious battle was “12 Years a Slave” versus “Gravity.” No one knew who was going to come out on top, and the Oscars split. “Gravity” won the Best Director prize, while “12 Years a Slave” claimed the Best Picture prize.

I feel like for 2026, we could be in store for a similar battle as we look at two films, “Sinners” and “One Battle After Another.” Both are very different flicks in their own right. One turns out to be a horror flick with a twist you never imagined that is just satisfying as hell with some phenomenal performances along the way from Michael B. Jordan, Delroy Lindo, Miles Caton and Wunmi Mosaku. The film is helmed to perfection by director Ryan Coogler who earned his first nomination as Best Director this year with “Sinners.”

Now on the flipside, you have the black dramedy “One Battle After Another.” I wanted to call it a drama at first, but it’s much more than that, and its perhaps one of the best flicks I’ve seen in 2025 next to “Sinners.” The film is helmed by Paul Thomas Anderson, who has yet to earn that Oscar despite having previous movies in the past nominated like “Boogie Nights” and “Magnolia,” and the accolade of Oscar might be bestowed on him in a month with his latest work that is a gritty take on a climate in America that is resonating quite well with a lot of Americans rather you like it or not.

Once, again you have another movie with all-star turns from Leonardo DiCaprio, Teyana Taylor, Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro, Chase Infiniti and Regina Hall. When I say Anderson has a scene in “One Battle After Another” that is absolutely phenomenal for those who understand the importance of cinematography, editing and camera technique, you have to see it to fully understand it. I was in awe of what I was witnessing and for that alone I give the slight edge to Paul Thomas Anderson for Best Director.

However, that doesn’t mean that Coogler couldn’t earn the prize for his crowd-pleasing, critical success with “Sinners.” I mean its horror, but I wouldn’t call it full-blown horror. However, the fact that a movie of this genre breaking Oscar’s history with 16 nominations says a ton America, a ton.

He would be the first African American to win that prize if he is victorious in the Best Director race. Coogler faces Paul Thomas Anderson, who has been previously nominated for Best Director before and hasn’t won the prize. The Academy loves to bestow that award to candidates who have been overlooked or is long-overdue for the prize. This is not to say that Paul Thomas Anderson is not deserving because I believe he is, but the Academy is finnicky, so you never know.

This brings us to the discussion for Best Picture, about a month ago I would have argued that “One Battle After Another” was a shoo-in for the top prize, but with “Sinners” earning so many Oscar nominations it got me thinking, hmm, maybe not.

In 2026, the Academy Awards could split when it comes to Best Picture and Best Director. They don’t always have to align, even though you would expect them to, it is not always the case. If Paul Thomas Anderson wins Best Director, I can absolutely see “Sinners” taking the Best Picture prize and vice versa if Ryan Coolger wins Best Director, “One Battle After Another” wins Best Picture.

If you want my gut prediction, Paul Thomas Anderson is winning Best Director, while Ryan Coogler will claim an Oscar, but it will be for a producer for Best Picture for “Sinners,” I already think he’s a shoo-in for Best Original Screenplay. Time will indeed tell what happens at the Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday, February 22, as that could be a major sign where Oscar voters could be headed.