Set in 1993, the film follows estranged Street Fighters Ryu (Andrew Koji) and Ken Masters (Noah Centineo), two warriors whose bromance-turned-rivalry gets reignited when the mysterious Chun-Li (Callina Liang) recruits them for the next World Warrior Tournament. What follows, according to the trailer, is a bombastic flurry of Hadoukens, roundhouse kicks, slow-motion glares, questionable hair choices, and enough neon-splashed grit to power a late-night cable marathon.

But beneath the over-the-top action lies something deeper at least, that’s what the booming trailer voiceover wants us to believe. A deadly conspiracy looms over the tournament, one that threatens to pit Ryu and Ken not just against the world’s fiercest fighters, but also against each other. And if they fail? Well, as the trailer reminds us with all the subtlety of a button-mashing rookie: It’s GAME OVER.

Director Kitao Sakurai, best known for blending chaotic visuals with offbeat humor, seems determined to crank the dial past eleven. The trailer promises a film that’s aggressively stylized, tonally unhinged, and possiblycjust possibly aware of exactly what it is. This isn’t prestige cinema. This is arcade energy distilled into two hours of cinematic madness. And honestly? That might be its superpower.

Because let’s be real: Street Fighter movies have never been “good” in the traditional sense. They’ve been bonkers. They’ve been baffling. They’ve been brilliant in their own ridiculous way. From Raul Julia’s legendary “For me, it was Tuesday” moment to the live-action hurricanes that were past adaptations, the franchise has a long history of being so bad it’s iconic.

And this new trailer suggests that legacy is alive and well.

Big kicks. Big drama. Big nonsense. Big fun.

Street Fighter wants to drag us back to the arcade, dust off our nostalgia, and remind us why we fell in love with these characters in the first place flaws, camp, chaos, and all.

Whether it ends up a masterpiece or a magnificent train wreck, one thing’s for sure: we’ll all be lining up to watch the carnage unfold. Hadoukens ready.

Street Fighter premieres in theaters October 16th 2026.

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Directed by Craig Gillespie (I, Tonya, Cruella) and penned by screenwriter Ana Nogueira, Supergirl signals a shift toward character-driven storytelling within the evolving DC Studios slate. Alcock leads a powerhouse ensemble that includes Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley, David Krumholtz, Emily Beecham, and Jason Momoa in a yet-to-be-revealed role sure to spark fan speculation.

The film is shepherded by DC Studios chiefs Peter Safran and James Gunn, with the story rooted in the legendary DC Comics mythology created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Nigel Gostelow, Chantal Nong Vo, and Lars P. Winther serve as executive producers.

Behind the camera, Gillespie brings together a stellar creative team:

• Director of Photography: Rob Hardy (Ex Machina)
• Production Designer: Neil Lamont (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story)
• Editor: Tatiana S. Riegel (Pam & Tommy)
• Costume Designer: Anna B. Sheppard (Schindler’s List)
• VFX Supervisor: Geoffrey Baumann (Black Panther)
• Composer: Ramin Djawadi (Game of Thrones, Westworld)

With this lineup, Supergirl is shaping up to be a visually striking, emotionally resonant entry into the DC cinematic universe.

Supergirl is a Troll Court Entertainment Production and a Safran Company Production, presented by DC Studios and directed by Craig Gillespie. The film opens in IMAX and theaters across North America on June 26, 2026, with international releases beginning June 24, 2026 via Warner Bros. Pictures.

The post Milly Alcock Takes Flight in DC Studios’ ‘Supergirl’, Soaring Into Theaters Summer 2026 appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.

Among the most anticipated World Premieres is The Brittney Griner Story, directed by Alex Stapleton. The documentary explores the circumstances that led Griner to play basketball overseas despite being one of the greatest athletes in the sport, her wrongful detainment in Russia, and her relentless fight for freedom. The film also captures her evolution into a powerful advocate for other wrongfully detained individuals, positioning her story as both personal and political.

Music, obsession, and mythmaking take center stage in The Disciple, a World Premiere documentary following an outsider whose ambition propels him into the inner circle of the Wu-Tang Clan. The film chronicles the volatile intersection of raw creativity and industry politics as the making of an album threatens to spark global controversy.

Redemption unfolds behind prison walls in Frank & Louis, a World Premiere fiction film starring Kingsley Ben-Adir, Rob Morgan, René Pérez Joglar, Rosalind Eleazar, and Indira Varma. The story follows Frank, a man serving a life sentence who takes a job caring for aging inmates with Alzheimer’s and dementia. What begins as a calculated move toward parole transforms into a deeply human bond with a fellow inmate that reshapes his understanding of guilt, responsibility, and grace.

Black cinema nostalgia gets a celebratory revival with House Party, featuring the legendary cast of Tisha Campbell, Full Force, Robin Harris, A.J. Johnson, Martin Lawrence, and Kid ‘N Play. What begins as a simple decision to attend a party quickly spirals into what may be the wildest night of their lives reviving the spirit of one of the most beloved franchises in Black film history.

The supernatural collides with emotional realism in If I Go Will They Miss Me, directed by Walter Thompson-Hernández and starring Danielle Brooks and J. Alphonse Nicholson. The World Premiere fiction film follows 12-year-old Lil Ant, who begins to see surreal, spectral visions of boys drifting through his neighborhood. These visions unlock hidden connections between father and son while exposing deep ties between family, memory, and place. The film will also be available online for the public.

Time, science, and human hope converge in In the Blink of an Eye, the winner of the 2026 Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize. Featuring Rashida Jones, Kate McKinnon, Daveed Diggs, Jorge Vargas, and Tanaya Beatty, the film interweaves three storylines across thousands of years, reflecting on connection, survival, and the cyclical nature of life itself.

Global Black political drama takes shape in Kikuyu Land, directed by Bea Wangondu. Set in Nairobi, the World Premiere follows a journalist probing a land dispute between local government forces and a powerful multinational corporation. As the investigation deepens, buried wounds and hidden family secrets emerge. The film will be available online for public viewing.

Nigeria commands the screen in LADY, directed by Olive Nwosu. Set in the sprawling metropolis of Lagos, the film follows a fiercely independent young cab driver whose life shifts after she encounters a group of reckless yet radiant sex workers. Their sisterhood pulls her into danger, joy, and ultimately a path toward personal transformation. The cast includes Jessica Gabriel’s Ujah, Amanda Oruh, Tinuade Jemiseye, Binta Ayo Mogaji, Seun Kuti, and Bucci Franklin. The film is also available online to the public.

Black history takes center stage in three major documentaries. Once Upon a Time in Harlem, directed by William Greaves and David Greaves, unveils what Greaves considered the most important event he ever captured on film: a 1972 gathering of living Harlem Renaissance legends, revealed a decade after his death. Soul Patrol, directed by J.M. Harper, uncovers a hidden chapter of American military history as the Vietnam War’s first Black special operations team reunites to confront trauma, memory, and long-delayed reckoning. And Troublemaker, directed by Antoine Fuqua, recounts the struggle against apartheid through Nelson Mandela’s own recorded voice as he wrote Long Walk to Freedom, creating an intimate portrait of resistance, leadership, and sacrifice.

Together, these films reflect not only artistic excellence but cultural urgency proving once again that Black cinema is a powerful archive of truth, survival, imagination, and liberation.

Here’s the full list below:

FEATURE FILMS

• The Brittney Griner Story – Explores the circumstances that led to Brittney Griner playing basketball outside the U.S. despite being one of the best players in the sport, including her harrowing detainment, unwavering determination to secure her freedom, and her advocacy for the release of other wrongful detainees. World Premiere. Documentary.

• THE DISCIPLE – An outsider fueled by relentless determination works his way into the inner circle of the Wu-Tang Clan, where his ambition and creativity converge in the making of an album poised to ignite global controversy. World Premiere. Documentary.

• Frank & Louis – Frank, serving a life sentence, takes a prison job caring for aging inmates with Alzheimer’s and dementia. What begins as a self-interested bid for parole becomes a profound, transformative bond with fellow inmate Louis.
  Cast: Kingsley Ben-Adir, Rob Morgan, René Pérez Joglar, Rosalind Eleazar, Indira Varma.
  World Premiere. Fiction.

• House Party – Kid decides to go to his friend Play’s house party, but neither of them can predict what’s in store for them on what could be the wildest night of their lives.
  Cast: Tisha Campbell, Full Force, Robin Harris, A.J. Johnson, Martin Lawrence, Kid ‘N Play.

• If I Go Will They Miss Me – Twelve-year-old Lil Ant struggles to connect with his father as surreal visions of drifting boys reveal links between family, legacy, and place.
  Cast: Danielle Brooks, J. Alphonse Nicholson.
  World Premiere. Fiction. Available online for public.

• In the Blink of an Eye – Three storylines spanning thousands of years intersect to reflect on hope, connection, and the circle of life.
  Cast: Rashida Jones, Kate McKinnon, Daveed Diggs, Jorge Vargas, Tanaya Beatty.
  World Premiere. Fiction. 2026 Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize Winner.

• Kikuyu Land – A Nairobi journalist investigates a land battle between government forces and a powerful corporation as buried wounds and family secrets surface.
  World Premiere. Available online for public.

• LADY – In Lagos, a fiercely independent young cab driver meets a fearless group of sex workers whose sisterhood draws her into danger and personal transformation.
  Cast: Jessica Gabriel’s Ujah, Amanda Oruh, Tinuade Jemiseye, Binta Ayo Mogaji, Seun Kuti, Bucci Franklin.
  World Premiere. Available online for public.

• Once Upon a Time in Harlem – A decade after his death, filmmaker William Greaves reveals what he considered his most important footage: a 1972 gathering of Harlem Renaissance legends.
  World Premiere. Documentary.

• Soul Patrol – The Vietnam War’s first Black special operations team reunites to reveal a hidden chapter of American military history.
  World Premiere. Available online for public.

• Troublemaker – The fight against apartheid is recounted through Nelson Mandela’s own voice, recorded while writing Long Walk to Freedom.
  World Premiere. Documentary.

• When A Witness Recants / U.S.A. (Director and Producer: Dawn Porter, Producers: Miriam Weintraub, Jennifer Oko) — In 1983, author Ta-Nehisi Coates learned that a 14-year-old boy was murdered in his Baltimore middle school. Upon revisiting the case, he uncovers the truth: Three innocent teenagers were wrongfully convicted and spent 36 years in prison — creating a lasting impact on the accused, the witnesses, and their community. World Premiere. Documentary.

FILMMAKERS

• Alex Stapleton – The Brittney Griner Story
• William Greaves – Once Upon a Time in Harlem
• David Greaves – Once Upon a Time in Harlem
• Antoine Fuqua – Troublemaker
• Dawn Porter – When a Witness Recants
• J.M. Harper – Soul Patrol
• Bea Wangondu – Kikuyu Land
• Olive Nwosu – LADY
• Walter Thompson-Hernández – If I Go Will They Miss Me

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The African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) has officially announced the winners of its 17th Annual AAFCA Awards, and Ryan Coogler’s Sinners is the clear frontrunner of the year. With wins across major categories including Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Director, Best Writing, Best Ensemble, and Best Music the Warner Bros. powerhouse film made an indelible mark on this year’s awards season.

The ceremony will take place on February 8, 2026, at the luxurious Maybourne Beverly Hills in Beverly Hills, California, where the year’s most impactful voices in film will be celebrated.

AAFCA president and co-founder Gil Robertson emphasized the importance of this year’s honorees in the official announcement:

“The cinematic voices recognized this year remind us of the power of film to challenge, inspire, and unite. From bold new visions to unforgettable performances, these winners represent storytellers who are pushing the art form forward while speaking to the moment we are living in.”

Sinners Sweeps the Major Categories

Ryan Coogler’s Sinners proved to be the night’s biggest success story. Michael B. Jordan took home Best Actor, while Wunmi Mosaku earned Best Supporting Actress for her acclaimed performance. Coogler also secured both Best Director and Best Writing, reinforcing his continued dominance as one of the most influential filmmakers of his generation.

Adding to the film’s triumph, newcomer Miles Caton received Emerging Face (Actor), and legendary composer Ludwig Göransson won Best Music, further solidifying Sinners as a cultural and cinematic force.

Beyond Sinners, the AAFCA also recognized exceptional talent across genres:

• Tessa Thompson was awarded Best Actress for her work in Hedda (Amazon MGM).
• Damson Idris won Best Supporting Actor for his role in the adrenaline-fueled F1 (Apple/Warner Bros.).
• Netflix took home major animation honors with Best Animated Feature going to KPop Demon Hunters.
• Documentary honors went to The Perfect Neighbor (Best Documentary) and Hoops, Hopes & Dreams (Best Documentary Short).

AAFCA’s Top 10 Films of the Year

This year’s Top 10 list highlights the range and depth of modern filmmaking:

1. Sinners (Warner Bros.)
2. One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)
3. Hedda (Amazon MGM)
4. Frankenstein (Netflix)
5. Hamnet (Focus Features)
6. Wicked: For Good (Universal Pictures)
7. F1 (Apple/Warner Bros.)
8. One of Them Days (Sony Pictures Releasing)
9. The Knife (Relativity Media)
10. The Smashing Machine (A24)

With more than 100 AAFCA members selecting this year’s winners, the awards continue to reflect a collective commitment to celebrating Black excellence and diverse storytelling across the global film landscape. Additional special achievement honorees will be announced at a later date.

As awards season continues to unfold, Sinners has clearly emerged as one of the year’s most celebrated and influential films setting a high bar for the rest of the industry.

The post ‘Sinners’ Dominates the 17th Annual AAFCA Awards with Major Wins Across the Board appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.

Erivo earned her nomination for Wicked: For Good, continuing her triumphant run as Elphaba while helping propel the film into multiple top categories, including Cinematic and Box Office Achievement and Best Original Song. Her historic recognition is not only a personal milestone but a long-overdue moment of industry acknowledgment for Black women leading large-scale musical productions.

Ryan Coogler’s Sinners proved to be one of the most dominant contenders this year, earning a total of seven Golden Globe nominations, including:

• Best Motion Picture – Drama
• Cinematic and Box Office Achievement
• Best Actor – Drama (Michael B. Jordan)
• Best Director (Ryan Coogler)
• Best Screenplay (Ryan Coogler)
• Best Original Score (Ludwig Göransson)
• Best Original Song (“I Lied to You”)

The film’s fusion of genre, social commentary, and emotional weight has clearly resonated with voters, positioning Sinners as one of the awards season’s most formidable contenders.

The Best Motion Picture – Drama category includes:

• Frankenstein (Netflix)
• Hamnet (Focus Features)
• It Was Just an Accident (NEON)
• The Secret Agent (NEON)
• Sentimental Value (NEON)
• Sinners (Warner Bros. Pictures)

In Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, bold entries like Bugonia, Marty Supreme, and Nouvelle Vague face off against Warner Bros.’ One Battle After Another and Netflix’s Blue Moon.

Animated features also make a powerful showing, with contenders like Zootopia 2, Elio, and KPOP Demon Hunters highlighting animation’s growing narrative ambition.

The Cinematic and Box Office Achievement category reflects true blockbuster power with titles like Avatar: Fire and Ash, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, Wicked: For Good, and Sinners leading the charge.

Acting races are especially fierce this year. Drama nominees include Michael B. Jordan, Oscar Isaac, Tessa Thompson, Julia Roberts, and Eva Victor. On the comedy and musical side, alongside Cynthia Erivo, nominees include Emma Stone, Kate Hudson, Timothée Chalamet, and Leonardo DiCaprio.

Supporting categories spotlight a dynamic mix of veterans and breakout stars, with nominees such as Ariana Grande, Teyana Taylor, Jacob Elordi, Paul Mescal, and Adam Sandler.

Television nominees reflect a stacked year, with The White Lotus, The Bear, Abbott Elementary, Severance, and Only Murders in the Building dominating their respective categories. Acting nominees include Sterling K. Brown, Ayo Edebiri, Jean Smart, Jeremy Allen White, Natasha Lyonne, and Rhea Seehorn, ensuring some of the most competitive TV races in recent memory.

With Cynthia Erivo’s history-making nomination, Sinners emerging as a seven-time nominee, and a global slate that stretches from Tunisia to South Korea to Hollywood’s biggest soundstages, this year’s Golden Globe nominations signal a powerful shift toward inclusive storytelling, genre innovation, and bold creative vision. Awards night is shaping up to be one for the history books.

The post Cynthia Erivo Makes Golden Globes History as ‘Sinners’ Dominates with Seven Nominations appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.

From the film’s very first moments, Mosaku seizes the audience’s attention with a riveting opening monologue that sets both the thematic and emotional tone for the story. Her delivery is measured yet intense, restrained yet overflowing with lived experience and immediately signals that Sinners will be a film rooted in human pain, redemption, and the blurry moral terrain between them.

The monologue operates not just as exposition but also as invocation. She speaks with the cadence of someone who has endured, someone who has witnessed too much and survived it. In doing so, she becomes the voice of the film’s conscience. It’s rare that a single scene establishes so much, but Mosaku’s skill ensures the audience is spiritually tethered to her character from the start.

Throughout Sinners, Mosaku’s character evolves into a guiding presence, like a kind of savior for multiple characters who are spiraling through moral dilemmas, personal loss, and inner conflict. Though the film is packed with standout performances, hers is the one that consistently anchors the emotional rhythm. She offers refuge, truth, and clarity in scenes where characters confront their darkest moments. What makes her “savior” role so compelling is that Mosaku never plays it with saintly detachment; instead, she imbues her character with weariness, flawed compassion, and a deep sense of humanity. In fact, her saving grace is not perfection but understanding which makes her impact on the ensemble even more profound.

Mosaku’s artistry becomes even more evident when looking at her broader body of work. Whether it’s in His House, Lovecraft Country, or We Own This City, she has proven her ability to move seamlessly between genres while maintaining emotional authenticity. In His House, she delivered a devastatingly layered portrayal of trauma and guilt, demonstrating her capacity for raw psychological depth. In Lovecraft Country, she shifted into something more operatic and genre-bending, delivering a powerhouse arc that ranged from rage to transcendence. Even in smaller roles across her filmography, Mosaku brings a steadiness that commands attention without ever overshadowing the story.

What ties all these performances together is Mosaku’s remarkable control. She understands how to build a character from the inside out, focusing on interiority, emotional truth, and the subtle physical shifts that make a portrayal feel lived in. In Sinners, all of these strengths converge. It is a culmination of her range, technique, and empathy as a performer.

With a career defined by consistency and a performance in Sinners defined by emotional magnitude, Wunmi Mosaku stands as one of the most deserving contenders of the awards season. A supporting actress whose work elevates the entire film around her.

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Ryan Coogler’s Sinners is leading the pack with a jaw-dropping 17 Critics Choice Award nominations coming within a breath of Barbie’s record-setting 18 just two years ago. The Southern Gothic epic has clearly struck a chord with critics, landing a coveted Best Picture nomination and earning recognition across nearly every major craft category.

Michael B. Jordan continues his awards-season momentum with a nomination for Best Actor, while Wunmi Mosaku — already a standout this season — is nominated for Best Supporting Actress. Rising talent Miles Caton rounds out the acting honors with a nod for Best Young Actor/Actress, signaling an exciting new name to watch. Coogler himself scored nominations for both Best Director and Best Original Screenplay, further cementing Sinners as a creative triumph.

The film’s technical and artistic achievements also received wide acclaim, with nominations for Best Casting and Ensemble, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Editing, Best Costume Design, Best Hair and Makeup, Best Visual Effects, Best Stunt Design, Best Song, Best Score, and Best Sound. In short: Sinners didn’t just show up it swept the ballot.

Right behind it is One Battle After Another, earning an impressive 14 nominations and proving this year’s film race is packed with heavy hitters.

For the full list of nomination see below:

BEST PICTURE

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

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  

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

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

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

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

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  

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  

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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, Ivan 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  

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  

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  

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

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  

“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  

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  

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 Garcia, 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)

On the TV side, Adolescence leads the nominations with six, including Best Limited Series. Stephen Graham earned a nod for Best Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television, while castmates Owen Cooper and Ashley Walters both secured nominations for Best Supporting Actor. Erin Doherty and Christine Tremarco rounded out the recognition with nominations for Best Supporting Actress. Nobody Wants This also emerged as a top contender, scoring five nominations.

Critics Choice Association CEO Joey Berlin celebrated the announcement, emphasizing the excitement of kicking off the 2026 awards season:
“Our voters are the critics and entertainment reporters who help audiences find the best of the best every day. Their collective opinions are the most informed and reliable in the business.”

The 2026 Critics Choice Awards will take place January 4th, bringing together stars from film, TV, and streaming for one of the season’s biggest nights. And if today’s nomination tally is any indication, Sinners is the one to beat.

And yes, Chelsea Handler is back to host for the fourth year in a row, bringing her signature wit to one of awards season’s biggest nights.

With nearly 575 voting members, the Critics Choice Awards have become a reliable pulse check for what’s resonating across Hollywood. It’s the kind of ceremony that often mirrors broader industry momentum, spotlighting the films and series that keep critics talking and fans tuning in.

The post ‘Sinners’ Leads the Critics Choice Awards with 17 Nominations appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.

Appearing on The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast, Tarantino unloaded on Dano’s performance in There Will Be Blood, a film he still considers one of the best of the century. But admiration didn’t stop him from attacking one of its central actors.

“And the flaw is Paul Dano,” Tarantino said. “Obviously, it’s supposed to be a two-hander, and it’s also so drastically obvious that it’s not a two-hander. He is weak sauce, man. He’s a weak sister.”

The director went on, insisting, “I’m not saying he’s giving a terrible performance. I’m saying he’s giving a non-entity performance. I don’t care for him. I don’t care for Owen Wilson, I don’t care for Matthew Lillard.”

These remarks aren’t film criticism. They’re derision masquerading as discernment. Tarantino wasn’t engaging in thoughtful analysis of Dano’s choices, his interpretation of Eli Sunday, or even the dynamics of the film. Instead, he chose to insult him personally, positioning the actor not simply as miscast but as professionally worthless.

The irony, of course, is that this comes from a director whose own career has been defined by persistent criticism and not for minor acting decisions. Tarantino’s body of work is praised for its cinematic flair, but the controversies that surround him are just as iconic as his movies.

His public issues go back decades. Spike Lee famously rebuked him for his overzealous use of the N-word — a signature of Tarantino’s screenwriting that too often feels less like subversion and more like indulgence. Then there’s the unending debate over Tarantino’s long list of cinematic “inspirations.” Even he has admitted, “I steal from every single movie ever made.” And anyone who has watched a Sergio Leone film can see the direct line between Leone’s compositions and Tarantino’s bravado.

But the criticisms most damning are the ones involving his treatment of women on set. The stunt-driving crash on Kill Bill Vol. 2 left Uma Thurman with permanent injuries, a stunt she should never have been pressured to perform. There is also the story of Tarantino choking Diane Kruger during filming, insisting on doing it himself to “get the shot.” These aren’t anecdotes about artistic passion; they’re evidence of a director who too often disregards the safety and autonomy of the people who bring his vision to life.

Then there’s the elephant in the room: his 25-year relationship — both professional and personal — with a known sexual predator whose name has dominated the entire film industry. Tarantino’s repeated defenses and excuses over the years have aged poorly, to put it mildly.

And yes, even the “Tarantino foot fetish” discourse, often treated as a joke, is part of the larger narrative. The persistent, lingering, almost reverential foot shots in Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Death Proof, Jackie Brown, and beyond cease being charming quirks when stacked against allegations of inappropriate behavior and boundary crossing. Patterns matter. In Tarantino’s case, those patterns point to a filmmaker whose obsessions often blur into discomfort.

So when Tarantino calls Paul Dano “weak sauce,” it lands differently. Not because Dano can’t handle criticism, he’s one of the most consistently compelling actors of his generation, but because the attack comes from someone who has long avoided accountability for far more serious issues.

Dano’s work in There Will Be Blood has been praised for years. He was directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, one of the most meticulous filmmakers alive, and held his own opposite Daniel Day-Lewis. To reduce him to a “non-entity” is not only unfair; it ignores the nuance and quiet devastation that made Eli Sunday a core part of the film’s emotional power.

Ultimately, Tarantino’s latest tirade isn’t about Dano at all. It’s about Tarantino — a director who has thrived on controversy, who sees provocation as a brand, and who seems to believe that cruelty equals candor.

But there is a difference between honesty and hostility. There is a difference between critique and contempt.

And as Hollywood continues to grapple with power imbalances, unsafe working environments, and the mistreatment of performers, Tarantino’s comments remind us that some of the industry’s most celebrated voices still haven’t figured out that punching down isn’t art, it’s insecurity.

Tarantino’s films may be legendary. But his behavior, again and again, reveals a creator far less bold, far less innovative, and far less insightful than he imagines himself to be.

The post Tarantino’s Cruelty Toward Paul Dano Isn’t an Outlier, It’s a Pattern appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.

BGN interviewer Chalice Williams spoke with Halston Sage (“Patty”), Pico Alexander (“Tommy”), Connie Britton (“Molly”), Michael McGlone (“Patrick”), Sam Vartholomeos (“Sam”), Tracee Ellis Ross (“Nina”), and Juliana Canfield (“Karen”), alongside Burns (“Barry”), about revisiting the beloved Irish American family and expanding their world for today’s audiences.

The Family McMullen centers on Barry McMullen now in his 50s, navigating the messy, funny, and often humbling realities of dating later in life. Meanwhile, his twenty-something kids are experiencing their own coming-of-age missteps in love, echoing the themes that made the original film resonate with audiences. The story also brings Barry’s brother Patrick (Michael McGlone) and widow sister-in-law Molly (Connie Britton) into the emotional fray, each confronting unexpected romantic complications that push them toward growth and vulnerability.

Throughout the interviews, the cast reflected on the timelessness of family stories and why the McMullens continue to strike a chord. Tracee Ellis Ross and Juliana Canfield spoke about the film’s balance of humor and heartfelt honesty, while Halston Sage and Pico Alexander highlighted how their characters embody the modern generational shifts in dating, identity, and expectations.

With Burns guiding the creative vision once again, the film honors its indie roots while embracing a festive, contemporary sensibility perfect for the holiday season.

Interviewer: Chalice Williams

Video Editor: Jamie Broadnax

The Family McMullen premieres December 5th on HBO MAX

The post Revisiting 30 Years Later This Holiday Season ‘The Family McMullen’ appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.

At this year’s Gotham Awards, Wunmi Mosaku earned the prize for Outstanding Supporting Performance for her haunting, layered work in Sinners. Over at the New York Film Critics Circle Awards, Amy Madigan walked away with Best Supporting Actress for her role in Weapons. Both wins came from horror films and that alone is historic. These victories aren’t just wins for Mosaku and Madigan individually. They’re wins for the entire genre and for every actor who has poured their soul into a horror performance only to watch voters look the other way.

We’ve been here before. Toni Collette’s devastating, career-defining work in Hereditary remains one of the most infamous recent snubs, the kind that horror fans still talk about in frustration. It’s a reminder of how often awards bodies fail to recognize brilliance unless it’s wrapped in prestige-drama packaging. Horror has always been the artistic underdog, the genre is bold, emotional, provocative, and overlooked.

But something feels different now.

Mosaku’s win represents the future of horror: films that aren’t afraid to confront trauma, identity, or the messy parts of humanity through supernatural lenses. Her performance was raw, grounded, transformative and proves that horror can deliver emotional truths more fearlessly than almost any other genre.

Madigan’s win does something equally important: it affirms that veteran performers can find some of their most resonant work in horror, a genre that has never been afraid to give complex roles to women over 40, even when mainstream Hollywood has. Her recognition signals that critics are paying attention to the depth happening in spaces they previously overlooked.

And they’re not alone. Demi Moore’s Golden Globe and SAG Award wins for The Substance signaled another breakthrough. Horror didn’t need to be disguised as “psychological drama” to be taken seriously. It could be body horror too. Uncanny, original and still earn top-tier recognition. Moore’s win proved that, when voters step outside their biases, they find some of the strongest performances of the year staring back at them from the shadows.

These victories matter because horror has always been a genre of innovation. It’s where women, actors of color, queer creators, and outsiders have historically found room to tell stories Hollywood wasn’t ready for. When awards bodies ignore horror, they ignore those voices. When they embrace it, even sparingly, they open the door to a more inclusive definition of “prestige.”

Of course, a few wins don’t erase decades of bias. The Toni Collette effect still lingers, and plenty of incredible performances continue to fly under the radar simply because they happen in haunted houses or monster-infested forests. But this year offers a glimmer of what the future could look like if voters broaden their understanding of what artistry can be and where it can come from.

Mosaku, Madigan, and Moore didn’t just win awards. They cracked open a door that has been locked for far too long. And for horror fans, for creators, for actors who dream of sinking their teeth into a genre role without sacrificing awards potential, that crack of light is everything.

Horror has always deserved a seat at the table. Now, finally, it looks like the table is being rearranged.

The post Horror Is Finally Getting Its Due: Wunmi Mosaku and Amy Madigan Break Through the Awards Bubble appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.