'Sinners' Makes Oscar History, Leading 2026 Nominations With 16

The 2026 Oscar nominations were led by Sinners, a vampire epic that broke the record with 16 nominations, surpassing All About Eve, Titanic, and La La Land. It was followed by One Battle After Another with 13 nods; both films earned Best Picture nominations alongside Frankenstein, Hamnet, Marty Supreme, and F1. Best Actor is a showdown between Timothée Chalamet (Marty Supreme) and now eight-time nominee Leonardo DiCaprio (One Battle After Another), with Michael B. Jordan (Sinners) and others also nominated. Supporting Actress nods included two from Sentimental Value, while surprises and snubs ranged from F1’s unexpected Best Picture slot to omissions for Wicked: For Good and Hamnet.

Women’s world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka has been named a brand ambassador for Gucci, joining Jannik Sinner in representing the luxury fashion house in tennis. The debut campaign features her mid-rally in a flowing silk gown with feather trim and the GG motif. Sabalenka also boasts partnerships with Nike and Wilson.

Harry Styles announced Thursday his Together, Together global residency in support of his upcoming album Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally., performing 50 shows across seven cities from May to December. New York will host 30 shows at Madison Square Garden, his only U.S. stop, with special guests including Robyn, Shania Twain, and Jorja Smith. The tour supports charities like Choose Love, LIVE Trust, and HeadCount. Styles’ first single, “Aperture,” drops Thursday evening ahead of the album’s March 6 release, which will feature 12 tracks.

Quarterbacks Matthew Stafford (Los Angeles Rams), Trevor Lawrence (Jacksonville Jaguars), Drake Maye (New England Patriots), Josh Allen (Buffalo Bills), and running back Christian McCaffrey (San Francisco 49ers) are the five finalists for the NFL MVP award, with the winner to be announced at the NFL Honors on Feb. 5. First-year head coaches Liam Coen (Jaguars), Ben Johnson (Chicago Bears), and Mike Vrabel (Patriots) are nominated for Coach of the Year, each having led their teams to the playoffs, including Vrabel’s Patriots in the AFC Championship this weekend against the Denver Broncos.

Heated Rivalry stars Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie will take part in the Winter Olympics as official torchbearers, though their exact relay locations and times haven’t been announced. The Olympic Torch Relay ends just before the opening ceremony on Feb. 6. The Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 will stream on HBO Max in Europe from Feb. 6 to 22.

Bob Costas is returning to NBC as host of the pregame for the network’s new Sunday Night Baseball broadcast, airing on NBC and Peacock. He will debut on March 26 at Dodger Stadium for the Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Arizona Diamondbacks game, MLB’s only primetime Opening Day matchup. Costas, who left NBC in 2019 after nearly four decades with the network, has since worked for MLB Network and TNT Sports, and previously hosted NBC Sports’ MLB coverage for 15 seasons and the late-night show Later.

The NBA and Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism have extended their partnership, continuing preseason games in the Middle East and planning a new global academy in Abu Dhabi for top boys players. While financial terms weren’t disclosed, the nine-year deal is expected to exceed $300 million. The extension coincides with the NBA and FIBA exploring a new European league, with Abu Dhabi-linked Manchester City among potential franchise bidders. NBA games have been held in the UAE for nearly 40 years, and participation has risen 60% with fan growth over 25% since annual preseason trips began in 2022.

Clipse is the first hip-hop act confirmed to perform at the 2026 Grammy Awards, airing live from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Feb. 1. They are nominated for five awards, including Album of the Year (Let God Sort Em Out) and Best Rap Album. Joining them on stage is 13-time Grammy winner Pharrell Williams, who produced all 13 tracks of the album, earning three nominations, and is also up for Best Music Film (Piece By Piece), bringing his career total to 43 nominations.

Pikachu may soon appear at Universal theme parks worldwide, as Universal Studios Japan has expanded its partnership with The Pokémon Company to create “innovative, immersive, and world-class Pokémon experiences.” While details of the first project are under wraps, after its debut in Japan, Universal plans to bring unique Pokémon experiences to its global parks.

Spotify is launching Prompted Playlists, a new AI-powered playlist tool for Premium subscribers in the U.S. and Canada. Users can create playlists by describing in their own words what they want to hear. The AI analyzes trends, charts, culture, music history, and the user’s listening history to craft personalized playlists. To discover new music beyond their usual tastes, users can also choose to ignore their own history.

Image: Courtesy of Warner Bros.