(Credit: Netflix)

The Oscars just dropped their 2026 nominations, and Netflix? Oh, Netflix made more giant steps toward serious recognition. While some studios are still busy releasing trailers for films that no one asked for, Netflix just walked into the Academy’s house with an entire banquet of nominations.

And this year, the variety is crazy. Let’s see, we have animated demons, reimagined Frankenstein’s monster, historical epics, emotional shorts, and K-pop bangers that literally shook the charts. This is not just a nomination list. Oh, hell no. It is a declaration that Netflix is done playing safe and is now curating entire award seasons as if it is its own battleground.

Let’s start with the one that made everyone sit up straight: Frankenstein. Guillermo del Toro has done it again, and by “it,” we mean building an entire dark fairytale from the ground up and dragging it straight into Oscar territory.

With nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and all the juicy visual categories (think cinematography, production design, and costume), Frankenstein is not just a contender. It is the one to beat. And honestly? When a gothic legend meets a Netflix budget and meets del Toro’s mind, you expect nothing less.

Oh, and speaking of Frankenstein, Jacob Elordi just picked up his first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. A well-deserved win for the internet’s favorite breakout, isn’t it?

Right behind it, we have Train Dreams. It is not the loudest film of the year, but that is what makes its Best Picture nomination so powerful. This is prestige cinema, Netflix-style. Add in a Best Actor nod, screenplay love, and major praise for sound and editing, and you have got a film that might take over multiple categories.

And then, the one nobody can stop screaming about, drum roll please, KPop Demon Hunters. Yes, this animated legend is now an Oscar nominee. Not only did it pick up a nod for Best Animated Feature, but its hit song “Golden” is also in the running for Best Original Song. The same track that already bagged a Grammy. You think this film is just for Gen Z stans? Think again. It is doing numbers and making history.

That’s not all. Netflix’s documentary game is also on fire. The Perfect Neighbor, Apocalypse in the Tropics, and Cover-Up are all holding down spots in the documentary feature category, proving that this platform can swing between fiction and real-life horrors like it is child’s play. And All The Empty Rooms has made it to the documentary short list, bringing another feather to the cap.

And while we’re still catching our breath, let us not forget the return of Ricky Gervais with Mortality or the haunting Adolescence, which dominated at the Globes and is still riding that high straight into Oscar week. This year’s nominations prove that Netflix is more than just an OTT.

If there is one thing to take away from the 2026 Oscar nominations, it is this: Netflix came prepared. These are not just prestige dramas and award-season bait. They are genre-benders, fan favorites, international disruptors, and unexpected emotional show stealers. And with a nomination haul that covers nearly every category, Netflix might rule this year.

Here is the full list of Netflix’s 2026 Oscar nominations:

‘Best Picture

• Frankenstein
• Train Dreams

Best Adapted Screenplay

• Train Dreams (Clint Bentley & Greg Kwedar)

Best Cinematography

• Train Dreams (Adolpho Veloso)

Best Original Song

• “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters (Music & Lyric by Ejae, Teddy Park, Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seon, and Mark Sonnenblick)

Best Animated Feature Film

• KPop Demon Hunters (Producers: Maggie Kang, Chris Appelhans, Michelle L.M. Wong)

Best Documentary Feature Film

• The Perfect Neighbor (Geeta Gandbhir, Alisa Payne, Nikon Kwantu, Sam Bisbee)

Best Documentary Short Film

• All The Empty Rooms (Joshua Seftel & Conall Jones)