- Primary Subject: Snubs of the 98th Academy Awards (2026)
- Key Update: While Sinners made history with 16 nominations, some critically acclaimed works were completely shut out.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: January 23, 2026
- Quick Answer: The 98th Oscar nominations ignored major hits like Superman and Mickey 17, favoring record-breakers like Sinners and One Battle After Another instead.
While the nominations for the 98th Academy Awards rightfully celebrated the year’s heavy hitters, the announcement was also defined as much by its omissions as its inclusions. Even in a year of record-breaking recognition, several of 2025’s most vital works failed to make the final cut.
Below, we highlight the films that failed to make it on the nomination list and should have gotten more love from the Academy.
Mickey 17
Mickey 17 might not be the awards juggernaut Parasite was, but it deserved better than a total shut-out. Between its immersive world-building and striking visuals, it was a top-tier contender for the technical categories.
Furthermore, Robert Pattinson’s transformative work playing multiple versions of the same character was exactly the kind of "prestige-meets-genre" performance the Best Actor category needed, although the vacuum was filled by Michael B. Jordan from Sinners.
Black Bag
Despite being a critical darling in the first half of 2025, Black Bag seems to have fallen victim to the "early release curse." What could have been a simple spy flick was transformed by Steven Soderbergh’s direction and a razor-sharp script into a compelling, must-watch thriller.
It’s a shame the Academy didn't take it more seriously. The ensemble cast alone featured at least two or three performances that belonged in the acting races. They missed a chance to reward a film that proved the spy genre can still be genuinely sophisticated.
The Phoenician Scheme
Wes Anderson films are often a hit or miss for the Academy voters, but the total omission of The Phoenician Scheme feels particularly egregious. In a perfect world, the film’s vibrant world-building would have made it a lock for technical categories like Production Design and Costume Design.
Furthermore, seeing Benicio del Toro overlooked for his lead role here is a letdown, especially since his recognized work in One Battle After Another proved he was already a favorite with the Academy this year.
Materialists
While Materialists didn't follow the same awards trajectory as Past Lives, it remains one of 2025’s most overlooked gems. It would be a disservice to label it as just a "small-scale drama." The film boasts a razor-sharp screenplay that deserves to be in the Oscar conversation.
Celine Song’s ability to weave a compelling narrative around the business of matchmaking and the friction of loving someone imperfect made it a deserving candidate for Best Original Screenplay, but alas, it got blanked.
Superman
James Gunn successfully revitalized the Man of Steel for a new generation, as Superman soared to become the year’s highest-grossing comic book film and a triumphant foundation for the new DCU franchise. Yet, despite its cultural dominance, it was surprisingly absent from the Oscar nomination list.
This is particularly glaring in the Best Visual Effects category, since the seamless integration of Krypto and the innovative flying sequences represented a new gold standard for the genre.
Eddington
Ari Aster has built a career on being a provocateur, and Eddington is no exception. While critics remained divided over its surrealist edge, the film’s footprint among the cinephiles made its absence from the 98th Academy Awards all the more notable.
A Best Original Screenplay nod would have been a fitting tribute to its bold narrative swings, and Joaquin Phoenix’s transformative performance was certainly Oscar-caliber. Ultimately, however, the film’s uncompromising social themes may have proven too abrasive for the Academy’s more traditional voting bloc.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Regardless of your stance on the MCU, there is no denying the technical brilliance of The Fantastic Four: First Steps. The film successfully transported audiences to a vibrant, retro-futuristic world that begged for recognition in Best Production Design and Best Visual Effects.
By overlooking these achievements, the Academy missed a chance to reward genuine innovation in world-building, proving that the hurdle for "comic book movies" remains as high as ever.
Highest 2 Lowest
Spike Lee’s latest effort, Highest 2 Lowest, reminded us why he’s a master of the craft, delivering a film that was as fun as it was technically sound. Unfortunately, it never quite caught the awards season fever needed to land a nomination.
Even if the Best Picture race was a long shot, the film should have been a lock for Best Original Song. It’s a classic case of a great movie being drowned out by noisier campaigns, but that doesn't make its exclusion any less of a snub.
Roofman
Roofman had all the markings of an awards-season darling, yet it ended up as one of the year’s most underrated gems. With Derek Cianfrance at the helm and Channing Tatum delivering a career-best performance alongside Kirsten Dunst, the film should have been a consensus pick for the Academy.
It’s a classic, well-written drama that tackles the kind of human stories the Oscars usually embrace. Why it was left out of the conversation entirely is one of the biggest mysteries of the awards race.
Nouvelle Vague
It’s rare for a director to release two high-quality films in a single year, yet Richard Linklater’s Nouvelle Vague failed to ride the coattails of Blue Moon’s success. Despite being a gorgeous tribute to the history of film, it struggled to gain visibility among Academy voters.
A Best Cinematography nomination should have been a lock for a film that so perfectly captured the spirit of 1960s French New Wave cinema. Ultimately, Nouvelle Vague serves as a reminder that even the best love letters to movies can get lost in the mail without a strong awards push.
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