The preliminary selections for the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards have been unveiled, showcasing a robust lineup of cinematic achievements. Paul Thomas Anderson's critically acclaimed political satire, "One Battle After Another," has emerged as a frontrunner, securing an impressive 16 nominations across various categories. This film, known for its piercing commentary on American extremism and political polarization, has garnered the highest number of longlist mentions since the introduction of this preliminary stage in 2021. Following closely are Chloe Zhao's "Hamnet" and Ryan Coogler's "Sinners," each earning 14 nods, highlighting a competitive field of contenders.
"One Battle After Another" has solidified its position as a major force in this awards season, receiving recognition for Best Film, Director, and Adapted Screenplay. Its strong showing extends to the performance categories, with lead actors Chase Infiniti and Leonardo DiCaprio, alongside supporting talents Teyana Taylor, Benicio Del Toro, and Sean Penn, all advancing to the next round of voting. This widespread acknowledgment underscores the film's significant impact and the compelling performances within it.
Beyond the leading contenders, several other films have also made a notable impression. Josh Safdie's "Marty Supreme" earned 13 nominations, while Yorgos Lanthimos' "Bugonia" and Guillermo del Toro's "Frankenstein" each secured 12. British cinema also celebrated a strong presence, with films like "I Swear" and "Pillion" landing on six longlists, and "The Ballad of Wallis Island" receiving five, including mentions in key performance categories for Robert Aramayo, Peter Mullan, Harry Melling, Alexander Skarsgard, and Carey Mulligan.
Despite the successes, some films that were anticipated to perform strongly received fewer nominations than expected. Jafar Panahi's Palme d'Or-winning "It Was Just an Accident" only garnered two longlist mentions, primarily for original screenplay and foreign language film. Similarly, "The Secret Agent" matched this count but notably missed out on a nod for its lead actor, Wagner Moura, who is still considered an Oscar prospect. "Sirāt," despite its growing acclaim, also secured only two mentions for casting and English-language film, bypassing categories like sound where it might have been expected to contend.
Several major films touted for awards success faced significant setbacks. "The Smashing Machine" was only recognized in the make-up and hair category, and "Jay Kelly" received a single nomination for Adam Sandler's supporting performance. "Hedda" earned a leading actress slot for Tessa Thompson but otherwise had a limited presence. Even acclaimed local titles, Harris Dickinson's directorial debut "Urchin" and Akinola Davies Jr.'s "My Father's Shadow," managed only one longlist space each, with the latter surprisingly missing the outstanding British film list. Films like "After the Hunt" and "The Testament of Ann Lee" were entirely absent from the longlists.
The journey to the final nominations is far from over. The full list of nominees, excluding the Rising Star award which will be announced on January 14, is scheduled for release on January 27. The BAFTA Film Awards ceremony itself will be held on February 22 at London's Royal Festival Hall, with Alan Cumming taking on hosting duties for the first time. The longlists offer an exciting preview of the competition, hinting at both expected triumphs and surprising omissions as the awards season progresses.