The Most Oscar-Nominated and Award-Winning Films of All Time
We are officially into Awards Season (in case you haven’t noticed) and Ryan Coogler’s Sinners starring Michael B. Jordan has just broken the record for the most Oscar nominations ever for a single film, racking up 16 nods for the 2026 Academy Awards.
It’s the latest benchmark in Hollywood’s long history of Oscar records, with several now-iconic films setting milestones and dominating the Oscars since the ceremony’s inception in 1929.
With Sinners now holding the title of the most-nominated film in Academy Awards history, it’s worth looking back at the films that previously defined what Oscar dominance looked like- whether through record-breaking nomination counts, award wins, or both!
All About Eve (1950) - 14 Nominations
All About Eve by four-time Academy Award-winning writer/director Joseph L. Mankiewicz tells the backstage story of a young actress scheming to take over the career of a Broadway star. It revitalised the career and screen presence of Bette Davis in the midst of an already legendary career with films like 1938’s Jezebel and ‘62’s What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? All About Eve’s clever story about ambition and betrayal earned 14 nominations, a record at the time and one that would stand for decades, going on to win 6. It also stars a relatively unknown Marilyn Monroe in one of her early roles.
Titanic (1997) - 14 Nominations, 11 Wins
James Cameron’s Titanic tied the 14 nominations record and went on to win 11 Oscars- a record it shares with two other movies we shall cover. Amongst its wins were Best Picture and Best Director- with the sweep coming as a surprise to some. Its epic scope, emotional performances by young Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, as well as its iconic score have kept it a cultural cornerstone until today. It’s one of the few films to tie a nomination record and come close to the historic single-year wins record.
La La Land (2016) - 14 Nominations
Damien Chazelle’s modern musical is tied with Titanic and All About Eve’s nomination records, which was surprising to some considering its musical nature in the 21st century- a genre that doesn’t dominate like it used to. With its vibrant cinematography and dance sequences, this bittersweet story about dreams and love in Los Angeles became a cultural phenomenon. It picked up 6 Oscars including Best Director and Best Picture (oh wait, that was Moonlight wasn’t it?). La La Land proved that a bold, original musical can still dance its way into Hollywood’s top spots.
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) - 11 Wins
The epic conclusion to Peter Jackson’s trilogy not only won Best Picture but went 11 for 11, sweeping every category it was nominated for- a perfect record. While it’s not the only film to achieve a perfect sweep, it holds the record for the most wins of any film to do so. Those wins included Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Original Score. The outcome wasn’t entirely expected given the fantasy genre’s historically low Oscar success, making it all the more memorable. Don’t forget that you can now get these stunning Limited Edition Steelbooks of the trilogy on 4K!
Ben-Hur (1959) - 11 Wins
Ben-Hur is another film that shares the record for most Oscars won in a single year. Historical epics were Hollywood’s favourite showcase at the time and the grandeur of William Wyler’s Ben-Hur, and its famed chariot race, captured the Academy’s attention. It set a new record at the time- with the previous record being a three-way tie between Gone with the Wind (1939), From Here to Eternity (1953) and On the Waterfront (1954) with 8 wins each. Ben-Hur- which was a remake of the 1925 silent film and adapted from Lew Wallace's 1880 novel- won (among others) Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor for Charlton Heston- setting a standard for epic filmmaking.
The Academy Awards have always loved big moments and films that feel like cultural events- and Sinners is the latest on that prestigious list of sweeping epics and modern musicals. How many do you think it’ll win? We are seriously looking forward to this year’s ceremony!
Check out our coverage of the Golden Globes 2026
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