Oscar shortlists revealed: 'Sinners' & 'Wicked' lead pack for 2025 Academy Awards
TOI GLOBAL DESK | Dec 17, 2025, 20:16 IST
‘Sinners,’ ‘Wicked: For Good,' ‘KPop Demon Hunters' advance in Oscars shortlists
( Image credit : AP )
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has shared the exciting shortlists for twelve Oscar categories, highlighting cinematic triumphs. Topping the list, films 'Sinners' and 'Wicked: For Good' each boast eight nominations, marking them as frontrunners for the prestigious awards.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has revealed shortlists for 12 Oscar categories, bringing films like "Sinners," "Wicked: For Good," and "KPop Demon Hunters" closer to potential nominations. These shortlists, released on Tuesday cover categories such as best song, score, international and documentary film, cinematography and the new casting award.
"Sinners" and "Wicked: For Good" led the pack with eight shortlist mentions each. These include categories like makeup and hair, sound, visual effects, score, casting and cinematography. Both films also have two original songs advancing.
For "Wicked," the advancing songs are Stephen Schwartz's "The Girl in the Bubble" and "No Place Like Home." "Sinners" has "Last Time (I Seen the Sun)" by Ludwig Göransson, Miles Caton, and Alice Smith and "I Lied to You" by Göransson and Raphael Saadiq.
"KPop Demon Hunters" featured the song "Golden," by EJAE and Mark Sonnenblick on the shortlist. Other notable songs advancing include "Train Dreams" by Nick Cave and Bryce Dessner.
John Mayer, Ed Sheeran, and Blake Slatkin's "Drive" from "F1" also made the list. Sara Bareilles, Brandi Carlile, and Andrea Gibson's "Salt Then Sour Then Sweet" from "Come See Me In the Good Light" is another contender.
Miley Cyrus, Simon Franglen, Mark Ronson, and Andrew Wyatt's "Dream as One" from "Avatar: Fire and Ash" is also shortlisted. Diane Warren's "Dear Me" from "Diane Warren: Relentless" could lead to her 17th nomination.
In the best international feature category, 15 films were named. Among them are "Sentimental Value" (Norway), "Sirât" (Spain) and "No Other Choice" (South Korea).
"The Secret Agent" (Brazil), "It Was Just an Accident" (France) and "The Voice of Hind Rajab" (Tunisia) are also on the international feature shortlist. "Sound of Falling" (Germany) and "The President's Cake" (Iraq) are further contenders.
For documentaries, 15 films were shortlisted. These include "My Undesirable Friends: Part I — Last Air in Moscow" and "The Perfect Neighbor."
"The Alabama Solution" and "Come See Me in the Good Light" are also among the notable documentaries. Mstyslav Chernov's "2000 Meters to Andriivka," a co-production between The Associated Press and PBS Frontline, is also shortlisted.
The Academy's new award for casting has shortlisted 10 films. These will compete for the five nomination slots. The 10 films in contention for the casting award are "Frankenstein," "Hamnet," "Marty Supreme," "One Battle After Another," "The Secret Agent," "Sentimental Value," "Sinners," "Sirāt," "Weapons," and "Wicked: For Good."
Notably, "Jay Kelly" and "Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery" did not make the casting shortlist. Composers who secured a spot on the best score shortlist include Ludwig Göransson for "Sinners." Jonny Greenwood is shortlisted for "One Battle After Another."Max Richter is recognized for his score in "Hamnet." Alexandre Desplat is on the list for "Frankenstein." Kangding Ray is shortlisted for "Sirāt."
Shortlists are generally determined by members within their respective categories. The specific processes can vary by branch, with some utilizing committees and others requiring minimum viewing hours. Many of the shortlists are in below the line categories, which celebrate technical crafts. This includes films that may not be considered obvious Oscar contenders.
"The Alto Knights" is shortlisted in the hair and makeup category. The widely panned "Tron: Ares" and "The Electric State" are both shortlisted for visual effects.
"Tron: Ares" also made the lists for score and song. Nine Inch Nails' "As Alive As You Need Me To Be" is the song from "Tron: Ares" that advanced.
The final nominations will be announced on January 22. The 98th Oscars ceremony, hosted by Conan O’Brien, will be broadcast live on ABC on March 15 at 7 p.m. ET.
"Sinners" and "Wicked: For Good" led the pack with eight shortlist mentions each. These include categories like makeup and hair, sound, visual effects, score, casting and cinematography. Both films also have two original songs advancing.
For "Wicked," the advancing songs are Stephen Schwartz's "The Girl in the Bubble" and "No Place Like Home." "Sinners" has "Last Time (I Seen the Sun)" by Ludwig Göransson, Miles Caton, and Alice Smith and "I Lied to You" by Göransson and Raphael Saadiq.
"KPop Demon Hunters" featured the song "Golden," by EJAE and Mark Sonnenblick on the shortlist. Other notable songs advancing include "Train Dreams" by Nick Cave and Bryce Dessner.
John Mayer, Ed Sheeran, and Blake Slatkin's "Drive" from "F1" also made the list. Sara Bareilles, Brandi Carlile, and Andrea Gibson's "Salt Then Sour Then Sweet" from "Come See Me In the Good Light" is another contender.
Miley Cyrus, Simon Franglen, Mark Ronson, and Andrew Wyatt's "Dream as One" from "Avatar: Fire and Ash" is also shortlisted. Diane Warren's "Dear Me" from "Diane Warren: Relentless" could lead to her 17th nomination.
In the best international feature category, 15 films were named. Among them are "Sentimental Value" (Norway), "Sirât" (Spain) and "No Other Choice" (South Korea).
"The Secret Agent" (Brazil), "It Was Just an Accident" (France) and "The Voice of Hind Rajab" (Tunisia) are also on the international feature shortlist. "Sound of Falling" (Germany) and "The President's Cake" (Iraq) are further contenders.
For documentaries, 15 films were shortlisted. These include "My Undesirable Friends: Part I — Last Air in Moscow" and "The Perfect Neighbor."
"The Alabama Solution" and "Come See Me in the Good Light" are also among the notable documentaries. Mstyslav Chernov's "2000 Meters to Andriivka," a co-production between The Associated Press and PBS Frontline, is also shortlisted.
The Academy's new award for casting has shortlisted 10 films. These will compete for the five nomination slots. The 10 films in contention for the casting award are "Frankenstein," "Hamnet," "Marty Supreme," "One Battle After Another," "The Secret Agent," "Sentimental Value," "Sinners," "Sirāt," "Weapons," and "Wicked: For Good."
Notably, "Jay Kelly" and "Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery" did not make the casting shortlist. Composers who secured a spot on the best score shortlist include Ludwig Göransson for "Sinners." Jonny Greenwood is shortlisted for "One Battle After Another."Max Richter is recognized for his score in "Hamnet." Alexandre Desplat is on the list for "Frankenstein." Kangding Ray is shortlisted for "Sirāt."
Shortlists are generally determined by members within their respective categories. The specific processes can vary by branch, with some utilizing committees and others requiring minimum viewing hours. Many of the shortlists are in below the line categories, which celebrate technical crafts. This includes films that may not be considered obvious Oscar contenders.
"The Alto Knights" is shortlisted in the hair and makeup category. The widely panned "Tron: Ares" and "The Electric State" are both shortlisted for visual effects.
"Tron: Ares" also made the lists for score and song. Nine Inch Nails' "As Alive As You Need Me To Be" is the song from "Tron: Ares" that advanced.
The final nominations will be announced on January 22. The 98th Oscars ceremony, hosted by Conan O’Brien, will be broadcast live on ABC on March 15 at 7 p.m. ET.