Next month’s Oscars race for Best Picture will be one of the toughest in recent history.
With a slate of outstanding original screenplays like One Battle After Another, Sinners, and Marty Supreme competing for the film awards ceremony’s top prize, fans online are already arguing for their favourites to win. Debates have sprung up in recent weeksabout the different ways Sinners and Marty Supreme, in particular, have been portrayed in the media, and how this might affect both awards season outcomes and viewers’ artistic interpretations.
From a categorical perspective, Sinners and Marty Supreme are wildly different. The former is a horror movie from multi-talented director Ryan Coogler, layered with historical storytelling and rich cultural commentary. The latter is a thrilling character study, a drama closely following the blueprint of director Josh Safdie’s other works, including 2019’s Uncut Gems, which also received critical acclaim.
Marty Supreme released in theatres Dec. 25. Variety recently sparked backlash for hailing lead actor Timothée Chalamet as “the king of the Christmas box office,” raking in $28 million against a $10 million budget for studio A24’s second-biggest opening weekend ever. By contrast, Variety wrote of Sinners when it released on April 18, 2025: “Profitability remains a ways away,” as the film put up a $63.5 million debut against a $90 million budget. Variety also had much less to say in their review about Michael B. Jordan’s leading performance in Sinners, where he played twins.
Fast-forwarding to Jan. 4, when the 2026 Critics’ Choice Awards named Chalamet best actor. Paul Thomas Anderson best director for One Battle After Another, which won best picture. Sinners, Jordan, and Coogler didn’t take home awards from these major categories, but the film did win four awards, including best casting and ensemble.
Online, fans of both films clashed about the ceremony’s results. One Threads user called Chalamet’s win over Jordan “disgusting.” Another pointed out Sinners swept more awards overall, attributing Marty Supreme’s success to its viral marketing campaign. While these early ceremonies are just hints at what might happen at the Oscars, prizes like the Critics’ Choice Awards have historically predicted Oscar outcomes.
And for renowned film awards ceremonies like the Oscars, which have historically sidelined Black actors and directors, this is problematic.
In his Substack article, commentator Joshua Smith examined Hollywood media’s treatment of Sinners. “Pay attention to how films are covered. When you see a box office piece that hedges on success, ask yourself: Would they write this about Tarantino? Would they write this about Nolan?” he wrote. “Support Black filmmakers who take risks,” he concluded, referring to Coogler.
Horror movies have also long been snubbed at the Oscars. For Coogler to imbue a horror movie like Sinners with directorial acumen and artistic excellence, he deserves all credit as a director. He also deserves recognition for his ambitious undertaking; he was able to combine horror with Black storytelling to create a box-office success that ultimately raked in $388 million worldwide.
Though commenters online are quick to take sides, the differences in how Sinners and Marty Supreme have been treated in the media and the awards race thus far reveal deep-seated opinions about which kinds of art are important.
So, when the full list of Oscar nominations is released later this month, there’ll be more at stake than just trophies.
Tags
Awards Season, cinema, Film, Marty Supreme, Movies, Oscars, Sinners
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