It was a nail-biter to the very finish. As this yr’s awards season has marched mercilessly onward, one of many greatest questions hinged on which movie would stroll away with Finest Image. And whereas that query isn’t historically or essentially a shocking one, this yr, it waslargely as a result of the 2 frontrunners — Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After One other” and Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners” — have been each so richly deserving of the win.
On Sunday night time in Hollywood, nevertheless, it was Anderson and his tenth movie that in the end proved victorious, as “One Battle After One other” gained Finest Image. The night time’s prime honor went to filmmaker and producer Anderson, together with fellow producers Sara Murphy and the late Adam Somner (who additionally served as first assistant director on the movie).
As ever, the Finest Image class was a stacked one, and Anderson’s movie gained out over not simply Coogler’s personal essential and field workplace hit, but additionally “Bugonia,” “F1,” “Frankenstein,” “Hamnet,” “Marty Supreme,” “The Secret Agent,” “Sentimental Worth,” and “Prepare Desires.” It additionally marks the primary time an Anderson joint has gained Finest Image, although his earlier movies “There Will Be Blood,” “Phantom Thread,” and “Licorice Pizza” have been additionally nominated within the class.
Earlier within the night time, Anderson gained his first Oscar for Finest Tailored Screenplay. He shortly adopted that with a win for Finest Director.
The much-lauded movie had beforehand picked up scads of massive wins throughout the season. Its accolades embody three wins on the thirty first Critics’ Selection Awards (together with Finest Image), 4 wins on the Golden Globes (together with Finest Movement Image – Musical or Comedy), one win and a report seven nominations on the thirty second Actor Awards (together with Excellent Efficiency by a Solid) six wins on the BAFTA Movie Awards (together with Finest Movie), and 13 nominations on the Oscars. The movie was additionally listed by the American Movie Institute as one of many prime ten movies of 2025 and gained 5 awards from the Nationwide Board of Evaluation (together with Finest Movie). Phew.
Whereas Anderson sometimes eschews hitting the marketing campaign path, he did seem all through the season at a handful of occasions, together with a Los Angeles screening the place he spoke to the movie’s prescience to at the moment’s local weather. Primarily based on Thomas Pynchon’s novel “Vineland,” Anderson tailored the story for a recent setting, and oh boycan you’re feeling it within the movie.
On the occasion, Anderson responded to a query about his response to the movie seeming so “well timed” by saying, “I can’t say it feels nice and I can’t say that it makes me pleased. It simply makes me really feel peculiar. It’s only a film, on the finish of the day. It’s simply imagined to be an motion film a few man attempting to get his daughter again. And, what I see on daily basis, it weighs heavy on my coronary heart for the world.”
“One Battle After One other” was additionally nominated for Finest Director, Finest Tailored Screenplay, Finest Actor, Finest Supporting Actress, Finest Supporting Actor, Finest Authentic Rating, Finest Casting, Finest Sound, Finest Manufacturing Design, Finest Cinematography, and Finest Movie Enhancing at this yr’s Oscars. Along with Anderson’s Finest Tailored Screenplay and Finest Director win, the movie additionally gained Finest Casting, Finest Enhancing, and Finest Supporting Actor for Sean Penn.
The 98th Academy Awards happened on the Dolby Theatre on Sunday, March 15, with Conan O’Brien returning as host. The ceremony was broadcast reside on ABC beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. Take a look at the complete record of winners proper right here.