The Academy Awards, more commonly known as the Oscars, are the biggest cinema awards of the season. At the 2026 Oscars, we got to see some of the best movies of 2025 get their rightful praise and rewards. Although just being nominated for one of the 24 categories is an honor, there are certain winners who stand out.

In this article, we will go through our winners at the 2026 Oscars and what made them so special. Our selection isn’t based on one singular category, but rather on the cumulative success at the Oscars, as well as the cultural impact these movies made.

Sinners

Sinners has been one of the most talked-about movies of the past year. It had massive box office success, earning around $300 million on a budget of $90-$100 million. On top of that, this movie scored 97% by critics and 96% by viewers on Rotten Tomatoes. So, it was no surprise that it was one of the favorites going into the 2026 Oscars.

And it delivered. Sinners won four Oscars, including one for Best Original Screenplay for Ryan Coogler and Best Cinematography for Autumn Arkapaw. On top of that, this movie won Best Actor for Michael B. Jordan and even Best Original Score for Ludwig Göransson. All of these awards, in addition to Sinners’ massive impact, make it one of our winners at the 2026 Oscars.

KPop Demon Hunters

KPop Demon Hunters was the cultural phenomenon of 2025. This animated movie swept the entire globe with its mesmerizing animation, touching songs, and compelling storyline. This movie won two Critics’ Choice Movie Awards, two Golden Globes, and one Grammy award. So, going into the award season finale, it was one of the predicted winners at the 2026 Oscars.

And win, it did! KPop Demon Hunters walked away with two Oscars from two nominations. It won one for the Best Animated Feature for Maggie Kang, Chris Appelhans, and Michelle L.M. Wong. This movie also won an Oscar for the Best Original Song for Ejae, Mark Sonnenblick, Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seon, and Teddy Park.

Frankenstein

In our opinion, Farnkenstein was one of the low-key winners at the 2026 Oscars. This movie didn’t receive any of the showy awards, like Best Picture or Best Supporting Actor. Even so, it managed to win three Oscars in categories that are crucial to the art of movie-making. That is why we included it in our top 3 list.

Frankenstein won the Oscar for Best Costume Design for Kate Hawley, as well as the Best Makeup and Styling Oscar. On top of that, this movie won the Oscar for Best Production Design. The Guillermo Del Toro spin on the classic Mary Shelley novel is a movie that compels you with its production quality as much as it does with its plot.