Critics Choice Awards 2026: Nominees, Where and When to Watch, and Everything You Need to Know

TheCritics' Choice Awards 2026 are around the corner. For anyone who wants an early snapshot of what will dominate the film and television awards season, this ceremony is essential viewing. Voted on by professional critics from the United States and Canada, the Critics' Choice Awards have become a key indicator ahead of the Oscars, Emmys, BAFTAs, and other major honors.

Below is a complete guide to the 2026 edition, which will take place this Sunday, January 4th, including what the awards are, when and where they take place, how to watch them, and the full list of nominees.

What Are the Critics' Choice Awards?

The Critics Choice Awards are presented annually by the Critics Choice Association, an organization made up of film and television critics across North America. Founded in 1995, the awards were created to recognize excellence in cinema and television from a critical perspective, often highlighting both major studio projects and auteur or independent works.

Because the nominations reflect the opinions of professional critics rather than industry insiders alone, the Critics Choice Awards are widely seen as one of the most inclusive and credible ceremonies of the season. Since 2019, they have also been among the earliest major awards shows each year, further cementing their reputation as a reliable awards season barometer.

The gala of the Critics Choice Awards 2026 will take place at the Barker Hangar at Santa Monica Airport in California. The event will include the traditional red carpet followed by the main ceremony, which is scheduled to run for approximately three hours.

How to Watch the Critics Choice Awards 2026

The ceremony will be broadcast live on TNT and TNT Series in Mexico and across much of Latin America. Viewers with access to Max (formerly HBO Max) will also be able to stream the awards live through the platform.

In the United States, the show will air on USA Network and E!, with streaming options available through live TV services that carry the networks.

Who Is Hosting the Critics Choice Awards 2026?

Comedian and television host Chelsea Handler will return as host of the Critics Choice Awards 2026. This marks her fourth consecutive year leading the ceremony. Handler is known for blending stand up comedy with sharp cultural commentary and is currently associated with multiple projects, including work with Netflix.

She is also a bestselling author, with several titles having reached the New York Times Best Seller list.

New Categories in 2026

This year, the Critics Choice Awards introduce four new categories designed to spotlight areas of filmmaking and television production that have historically received less recognition:

Best Variety Series
Best Action Choreography Design
Best Casting and Ensemble
Best Sound

Critics Choice Awards 2026 Nominees

This year, the Critics Choice Awards include 23 film categories and 21 television categories. The most nominated film is Sinners with 17 nominations, followed by One Battle After Another with 14 and Frankenstein with 11. On the television side, Netflix's Adolescence leads, followed by Nobody Wants This, Severance, and The Pitt.

Below is the full nominations list

CINE-FILM

BEST PICTURE - MEJOR PELÍCULA

Bugonia (Focus Features)

Frankenstein (Netflix)

Hamnet (Focus Features)

Jay Kelly (Netflix)

Marty Supreme (A24)

One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)

Sentimental Value (Neon)

Sinners (Warner Bros.)

Train Dreams (Netflix)

Wicked: For Good (Universal Pictures)

BEST ACTOR - MEJOR ACTOR

Timothée Chalamet – Marty Supreme (A24)

Leonardo DiCaprio – One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)

Joel Edgerton – Train Dreams (Netflix)

Ethan Hawke – Blue Moon (Sony Pictures Classics)

Michael B. Jordan – Sinners (Warner Bros.)

Wagner Moura – The Secret Agent (Neon)

BEST ACTRESS - MEJOR ACTRIZ

Jessie Buckley – Hamnet (Focus Features)

Rose Byrne – If I Had Legs I'd Kick You (A24)

Chase Infiniti – One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)

Renate Reinsve – Sentimental Value (Neon)

Amanda Seyfried – The Testament of Ann Lee (Searchlight Pictures)

Emma Stone – Bugonia (Focus Features)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR- MEJOR ACTOR SECUNDARIO

Benicio del Toro – One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)

Jacob Elordi – Frankenstein (Netflix)

Paul Mescal – Hamnet (Focus Features)

Sean Penn – One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)

Adam Sandler – Jay Kelly (Netflix)

Stellan Skarsgård – Sentimental Value (Neon)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS- MEJOR ACTRIZ SECUNDARIA

Elle Fanning – Sentimental Value (Neon)

Ariana Grande – Wicked: For Good (Universal Pictures)

Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas – Sentimental Value (Neon)

Amy Madigan – Weapons (Warner Bros.)

Wunmi Mosaku – Sinners (Warner Bros.)

Teyana Taylor – One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)

BEST YOUNG ACTOR / ACTRESS - MEJOR ACTOR JUVENIL

Everett Blunck – The Plague (Independent Film Company)

Miles Caton – Sinners (Warner Bros.)

Cary Christopher – Weapons (Warner Bros.)

Shannon Mahina Gorman – Rental Family (Searchlight Pictures)

Jacobi Jupe – Hamnet (Focus Features)

Nina Ye – Left-Handed Girl (Netflix)

BEST DIRECTOR - MEJOR DIRECTOR

Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)

Ryan Coogler – Sinners (Warner Bros.)

Guillermo del Toro – Frankenstein (Netflix)

Josh Safdie – Marty Supreme (A24)

Joachim Trier – Sentimental Value (Neon)

Chloé Zhao – Hamnet (Focus Features)

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY- MEJOR GUIÓN ORIGINAL

Noah Baumbach, Emily Mortimer – Jay Kelly (Netflix)

Ronald Bronstein, Josh Safdie – Marty Supreme (A24)

Ryan Coogler – Sinners (Warner Bros.)

Zach Cregger – Weapons (Warner Bros.)

Eva Victor – Sorry, Baby (A24)

Eskil Vogt, Joachim Trier – Sentimental Value (Neon)

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY- MEJOR GUIÓN ADAPTADO

Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)

Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar – Train Dreams (Netflix)

Park Chan-wook, Lee Kyoung-mi, Don Mckellar, Jahye Lee – No Other Choice (Neon)

Guillermo del Toro – Frankenstein (Netflix)

Will Tracy – Bugonia (Focus Features)

Chloé Zhao, Maggie O'Farrell – Hamnet (Focus Features)

BEST CASTING AND ENSEMBLE - MEJOR ELENCO

Nina Gold – Hamnet (Focus Features)

Douglas Aibel, Nina Gold – Jay Kelly (Netflix)

Jennifer Venditti – Marty Supreme (A24)

Cassandra Kulukundis – One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)

Francine Maisler – Sinners (Warner Bros.)

Tiffany Little Canfield, Bernard Telsey – Wicked: For Good (Universal Pictures)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY - MEJOR CINEMATOGRAFÍA

Claudio Miranda – F1 (Apple Original Films)

Dan Laustsen – Frankenstein (Netflix)

Łukasz Żal – Hamnet (Focus Features)

Michael Bauman – One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)

Autumn Durald Arkapaw – Sinners (Warner Bros.)

Adolpho Veloso – Train Dreams (Netflix)

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN - MEJOR DISEÑO DE PRODUCCIÓN

Kasra Farahani, Jille Azis – The Fantastic Four: First Steps (Marvel Studios)

Tamara Deverell, Shane Vieau – Frankenstein (Netflix)

Fiona Crombie, Alice Felton – Hamnet (Focus Features)

Jack Fisk, Adam Willis – Marty Supreme (A24)

Hannah Beachler, Monique Champagne – Sinners (Warner Bros.)

Nathan Crowley, Lee Sandales – Wicked: For Good (Universal Pictures)

BEST EDITING -MEJOR EDICIÓN

Kirk Baxter – A House of Dynamite (Netflix)

Stephen Mirrione – F1 (Apple Original Films)

Ronald Bronstein, Josh Safdie – Marty Supreme (A24)

Andy Jurgensen – One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)

Viridiana Lieberman – The Perfect Neighbor (Netflix)

Michael P. Shawver – Sinners (Warner Bros.)

BEST COSTUME DESIGN-MEJOR DISEÑO DE VESTUARIO

Kate Hawley – Frankenstein (Netflix)

Malgosia Turzanska – Hamnet (Focus Features)

Lindsay Pugh – Hedda (Amazon MGM Studios)

Colleen Atwood, Christine Cantella – Kiss of the Spider Woman (Lionsgate/Roadside Attractions)

Ruth E. Carter – Sinners (Warner Bros.)

Paul Tazewell – Wicked: For Good (Universal Pictures)

BEST HAIR AND MAKEUP-MEJOR MAQUILLAJE y PELUQUERÍA

Flora Moody, John Nolan – 28 Years Later (Sony Pictures)

Mike Hill, Jordan Samuel, Cliona Furey – Frankenstein (Netflix)

Siân Richards, Ken Diaz, Mike Fontaine, Shunika Terry – Sinners (Warner Bros.)

Kazu Hiro, Felix Fox, Mia Neal – The Smashing Machine (A24)

Leo Satkovich, Melizah Wheat, Jason Collins – Weapons (Warner Bros.)

Frances Hannon, Mark Coulier, Laura Blount – Wicked: For Good (Universal Pictures)

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS-MEJOR EFECTOS ESPECIALES

Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon, Daniel Barrett – Avatar: Fire and Ash (20th Century Studios)

Ryan Tudhope, Nikeah Forde, Robert Harrington, Nicolas Chevallier, Eric Leven, Edward Price, Keith Dawson – F1 (Apple Original Films)

Dennis Berardi, Ayo Burgess, Iván Busquets, José Granell – Frankenstein (Netflix)

Alex Wuttke, Ian Lowe, Jeff Sutherland, Kirstin Hall – Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (Paramount Pictures)

Michael Ralla, Espen Nordahl, Guido Wolter, Donnie Dean – Sinners (Warner Bros.)

Stephane Ceretti, Enrico Damm, Stéphane Nazé, Guy Williams – Superman (Warner Bros.)

BEST STUNT DESIGN-DISEÑO DE DOBLES DE ACCIÓN

Stephen Dunlevy, Kyle Gardiner, Jackson Spidell, Jeremy Marinas, Jan Petřina, Domonkos Párdányi, Kinga Kósa-Gavalda – Ballerina (Lionsgate)

Gary Powell, Luciano Bacheta, Craig Dolby – F1 (Apple Original Films)

Wade Eastwood – Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (Paramount Pictures)

Brian Machleit – One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)

Andy Gill – Sinners (Warner Bros.)

Giedrius Nagys – Warfare (A24)

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE-MEJOR PELÍCULA ANIMADA

Arco (Neon)

Elio (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

In Your Dreams (Netflix)

KPop Demon Hunters (Netflix)

Little Amélie or the Character of Rain (GKIDS)

Zootopia 2 (Walt Disney Animation Studios)

BEST COMEDY-MEJOR COMEDIA

The Ballad of Wallis Island (Focus Features)

Eternity (A24)

Friendship (A24)

The Naked Gun (Paramount)

The Phoenician Scheme (Focus Features)

Splitsville (Neon)

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM-MEJOR PELÍCULA EN OTRO IDIOMA (no inglés)

It Was Just an Accident (Neon)

Left-Handed Girl (Netflix)

No Other Choice (Neon)

The Secret Agent (Neon)

Sirāt (Neon)

Belén (Amazon MGM Studios)

BEST SONG-MEJOR CANCIÓN

"Drive" – Ed Sheeran, John Mayer, Blake Slatkin – F1 (Apple Original Films)

"Golden" – Ejae, Mark Sonnenblick, Ido, 24, Teddy – KPop Demon Hunters (Netflix)

"I Lied to You" – Raphael Saadiq, Ludwig Göransson – Sinners (Warner Bros.)

"Clothed by the Sun" – Daniel Blumberg – The Testament of Ann Lee (Searchlight Pictures)
"Train Dreams" – Nick Cave, Bryce Dessner – Train Dreams (Netflix)

"The Girl in the Bubble" – Stephen Schwartz – Wicked: For Good (Universal Pictures)

BEST SCORE-MEJOR BANDA SONORA

Hans Zimmer – F1 (Apple Original Films)

Alexandre Desplat – Frankenstein (Netflix)

Max Richter – Hamnet (Focus Features)

Daniel Lopatin – Marty Supreme (A24)

Jonny Greenwood – One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)

Ludwig Göransson – Sinners (Warner Bros.)

BEST SOUND-MEJOR SONIDO

Al Nelson, Gwendolyn Yates Whittle, Gary A. Rizzo, Juan Peralta, Gareth John – F1 (Apple Original Films)

Nathan Robitaille, Nelson Ferreira, Christian Cooke, Brad Zoern, Greg Chapman – Frankenstein (Netflix)

Jose Antonio García, Christopher Scarabosio, Tony Villaflor – One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)

Chris Welcker, Benny Burtt, Brandon Proctor, Steve Boeddeker, Felipe Pacheco, David V. Butler – Sinners (Warner Bros.)

Laia Casanovas – Sirāt (Neon)

Mitch Low, Glenn Freemantle, Ben Barker, Howard Bargroff, Richard Spooner – Warfare (A24)

TELEVISION-TV

BEST DRAMA SERIES-MEJOR SERIE DRAMÁTICA

Alien: Earth (FX)

Andor (Disney+)

The Diplomat (Netflix)

Paradise (Hulu)

The Pitt (HBO Max)

Pluribus (Apple TV)

Severance (Apple TV)

Task (HBO Max)

BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES-MEJOR ACTOR EN SERIE DRAMÁTICA

Sterling K. Brown – Paradise (Hulu)

Diego Luna – Andor (Disney+)

Mark Ruffalo – Task (HBO Max)

Adam Scott – Severance (Apple TV)

Billy Bob Thornton – Landman (Paramount+)

Noah Wyle – The Pitt (HBO Max)

BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES-MEJOR ACTRIZ EN SERIE DRAMÁTICA

Kathy Bates – Matlock (CBS)

Carrie Coon – The Gilded Age (HBO Max)

Britt Lower – Severance (Apple TV)

Bella Ramsey – The Last of Us (HBO Max)

Keri Russell – The Diplomat (Netflix)

Rhea Seehorn – Pluribus (Apple TV)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES-MEJOR ACTOR SECUNDARIO EN SERIE DRAMÁTICA

Patrick Ball – The Pitt (HBO Max)

Billy Crudup – The Morning Show (Apple TV)

Ato Essandoh – The Diplomat (Netflix)

Wood Harris – Forever (Netflix)

Tom Pelphrey – Task (HBO Max)

Tramell Tillman – Severance (Apple TV)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES-MEJOR ACTRIZ SECUNDARIA EN SERIE DRAMÁTICA

Nicole Beharie – The Morning Show (Apple TV)

Denée Benton – The Gilded Age (HBO Max)

Allison Janney – The Diplomat (Netflix)

Katherine LaNasa – The Pitt (HBO Max)

Greta Lee – The Morning Show (Apple TV)

Skye P. Marshall – Matlock (CBS)

BEST COMEDY SERIES-MEJOR SERIE DE COMEDIA

Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Elsbeth (CBS)

Ghosts (CBS)

Hacks (HBO Max)

Nobody Wants This (Netflix)

Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)

The Righteous Gemstones (HBO Max)

The Studio (Apple TV)

BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES-MEJOR ACTOR SERIE DE COMEDIA

Adam Brody – Nobody Wants This (Netflix)

Ted Danson – A Man on the Inside (Netflix)

David Alan Grier – St. Denis Medical (NBC)

Danny McBride – The Righteous Gemstones (HBO Max)

Seth Rogen – The Studio (Apple TV)

Alexander Skarsgård – Murderbot (Apple TV)

BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES-MEJOR ACTRIZ SERIE DE COMEDIA

Kristen Bell – Nobody Wants This (Netflix)

Natasha Lyonne – Poker Face (Peacock)

Rose McIver – Ghosts (CBS)

Edi Patterson – The Righteous Gemstones (HBO Max)

Carrie Preston – Elsbeth (CBS)

Jean Smart – Hacks (HBO Max)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES-MEJOR ACTOR SECUNDARIO EN SERIE DE COMEDIA

Ike Barinholtz – The Studio (Apple TV)

Paul W. Downs – Hacks (HBO Max)

Asher Grodman – Ghosts (CBS)

Oscar Nuñez – The Paper (Peacock)

Chris Perfetti – Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Timothy Simons – Nobody Wants This (Netflix)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES-MEJOR ACTRIZ SECUNDARIA EN SERIE DRAMÁTICA

Danielle Brooks – Peacemaker (HBO Max)

Hannah Einbinder – Hacks (HBO Max)

Janelle James – Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Justine Lupe – Nobody Wants This (Netflix)

Ego Nwodim – Saturday Night Live (NBC)

Rebecca Wisocky – Ghosts (CBS)

BEST LIMITED SERIES-MEJOR SERIE DURACIÓN LIMITADA (una temporada)

Adolescence (Netflix)

All Her Fault (Peacock)

Chief of War (Apple TV)

Death by Lightning (Netflix)

Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy (Peacock)

Dope Thief (Apple TV)

Dying for Sex (FX on Hulu)

The Girlfriend (Prime Video)

BEST MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION-MEJOR PELÍCULA HECHA PARA TV

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy (Peacock)

Deep Cover (Prime Video)

The Gorge (Apple TV)

Mountainhead (HBO Max)

Nonnas (Netflix)

Summer of '69 (Hulu)

BEST ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION-MEJOR ACTOR EN UNA SERIE LIMITADA O PELÍCULA PARA TV

Michael Chernus – Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy (Peacock)

Stephen Graham – Adolescence (Netflix)

Brian Tyree Henry – Dope Thief (Apple TV)

Charlie Hunnam – Monster: The Ed Gein Story (Netflix)

Matthew Rhys – The Beast in Me (Netflix)

Michael Shannon – Death by Lightning (Netflix)

BEST ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION-MEJOR ACTRIZ EN UNA SERIE LIMITADA O PELÍCULA PARA TV

Jessica Biel – The Better Sister (Prime Video)

Meghann Fahy – Sirens (Netflix)

Sarah Snook – All Her Fault (Peacock)

Michelle Williams – Dying for Sex (FX on Hulu)

Robin Wright – The Girlfriend (Prime Video)

Renée Zellweger – Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy (Peacock)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION--MEJOR ACTOR SECUNDARIO EN UNA SERIE LIMITADA O PELÍCULA PARA TV

Owen Cooper – Adolescence (Netflix)

Wagner Moura – Dope Thief (Apple TV)

Nick Offerman – Death by Lightning (Netflix)

Michael Peña – All Her Fault (Peacock)

Ashley Walters – Adolescence (Netflix)

Ramy Youssef – Mountainhead (HBO Max)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION-MEJOR ACTRIZ EN UNA SERIE LIMITADA O PELÍCULA PARA TV

Erin Doherty – Adolescence (Netflix)

Betty Gilpin – Death by Lightning (Netflix)

Marin Ireland – Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy (Peacock)

Sophia Lillis – All Her Fault (Peacock)

Julianne Moore – Sirens (Netflix)

Christine Tremarco – Adolescence (Netflix)

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE SERIES-MEJOR SERIE EN OTRO IDIOMA (no inglés)

Acapulco (Apple TV)

Last Samurai Standing (Netflix)

Mussolini: Son of the Century (MUBI)

Red Alert (Paramount+)

Squid Game (Netflix)

When No One Sees Us (HBO Max)

BEST ANIMATED SERIES-MEJOR SERIE ANIMADA

Bob's Burgers (Fox)

Harley Quinn (HBO Max)

Long Story Short (Netflix)

Marvel Zombies (Disney+)

South Park (Comedy Central)

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (Disney+)

BEST TALK SHOW-MEJOR PROGRAMA DE CONVERSACIÓN

The Daily Show (Comedy Central)

Hot Ones (YouTube)

Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC)

Late Night with Seth Meyers (NBC)

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS)

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen (Bravo)

BEST VARIETY SERIES-MEJOR SERIE DE VARIEDADES

Conan O'Brien Must Go (HBO Max)

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO Max)

Saturday Night Live (NBC)

BEST COMEDY SPECIAL-MEJOR ESPECIAL DE COMEDIA

Brett Goldstein: The Second Best Night of Your Life (HBO Max)

Caleb Hearon: Model Comedian (HBO Max)

Leanne Morgan: Unspeakable Things (Netflix)

Marc Maron: Panicked (HBO Max)

Sarah Silverman: PostMortem (Netflix)

SNL50: The Anniversary Special (NBC)

Originally published on Latin Times