The 98th Academy Awards delivered one of the most dynamic and emotionally charged ceremonies in recent memory, balancing long-awaited victories with sharp political humour and memorable on-stage moments. According to Antigua.news, the evening felt both celebratory and culturally significant from start to finish.
One Battle After Another emerged as the night's dominant film, claiming six awards including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Supporting Actor. Sinners followed closely with four Oscars, highlighted by a deeply emotional Best Actor victory for Michael B. Jordan.
The ceremony also produced the first tie in an acting or short film category since 2013, with Best Live Action Short awarded jointly to The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva.
Extra Security
Authorities in Los Angeles significantly enhanced security arrangements for this year's ceremony amid the ongoing US and Israel war in Iran. Measures included additional perimeter layers, stricter traffic management plans, and a highly visible police presence throughout the surrounding area.
Warner Bros Record-Equalling Night
Warner Bros Studios left the evening with a record-equalling 11 Oscars from 30 nominations — tying the all-time record for most wins by a single studio. That mark was previously held jointly by MGM in 1959 for Ben-Hur, Paramount in 1997 for Titanic, and New Line Cinema in 2003 for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
Twenty-nine of Warner Bros' 30 nominations came from its two flagship contenders: Sinners with 16 nominations and One Battle After Another with 13. Only Amy Madigan's Best Supporting Actress nomination for Weapons came from a separate production.
One Battle After Another — an action thriller following a washed-up revolutionary battling old foes to protect his daughter — claimed Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor for Sean Penn, Best Casting, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Film Editing and Best Director for Paul Thomas Anderson, the first such win in his three-decade career.
No Sin in Second Best
Ryan Coogler's period vampire thriller Sinners, which celebrates the origins of Blues music and southern Black culture, secured four awards. Among them was a historic Best Cinematography win for Autumn Durald Arkapaw, who became the first woman to claim that honour.
Michael B. Jordan's Best Actor victory was among the evening's most celebrated moments. In his acceptance speech, he cited Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, Jamie Foxx and Will Smith as "giants," while thanking supporters for "betting" on him as he strived to be the "best version of myself I can be." Sinners also took home Best Original Score and Best Original Screenplay.
No Monstrous Success
Despite earning nominations across multiple categories, Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein — an adaptation of Mary Shelley's 208-year-old novel — did not contend for the top prizes. The film did, however, succeed in the craft categories, winning Best Production Design, Best Costume Design and Best Makeup and Hair.
Other Notable Winners
Jessie Buckley had been widely tipped to win Best Actress in a Leading Role for her performance in Hamneth, and she was visibly emotional when the award was confirmed.
Joachim Trier's Norwegian family drama Sentimental Value and Josh Safdie's table tennis period piece Marty Supreme gathered nine nominations between them, but only Trier walked away with an Oscar — Best International Feature — beating out the heavily favoured Brazilian contender The Secret Agent.
K-Pop Demon Hunters claimed a double victory in Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song. Best Documentary Feature went to Mr. Nobody Against Putin, a win that, as reported by Antigua.news, received a notably subdued reaction from the audience.
