Hollywood held its breath during the 97th Academy Awards—and for good reason. Sean Baker’s Anora stunned with five wins, while acting categories saw dramatic turns no one saw coming. If the Oscars 2025 ceremony proved anything, it is that nothing is predictable anymore. With brassy indies topping studio titans, everyone is watching the calendar. One season ends, but another quietly takes its place, with even greater stakes. The Oscars 2026 cycle is looming large, with studios already eyeing the first key deadlines.

The Academy has sealed the Oscars 2026 schedule, and the countdown to the next ceremony has begun. Here is a look at what is ahead, with key dates now set, including nominations and shortlists.

Tuesday, December 16, 2025- is the date for the closely followed shortlist announcement, as outlined in the Awards Rules and Campaign Promotional Regulations. With the reported addition of the brand-new Best Casting category and at the 98th Oscars, categories like Visual Effects, Sound, and more will take center stage, giving rise to watercooler arguments as fans and critics alike scramble to guess which films are about to make their Oscar run!

With every major 2025 Oscars win still echoing across the industry, the real heat begins earlier when preliminary voting kicks off on December 8 and closes by December 12, 2025. Here is when frontrunners start to form and the Oscars 2026 race actually begins to take shape!

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Circle- Thursday, January 22, 2026. That is when the world finds out who is officially in the Oscars race. The announcement will follow a tight voting window from January 12–16, 2026, and fans will get their first big look at the contenders.

It is the moment when buzzworthy contenders rise, while fan-favorite films face the cut. The tension builds as the race to the gold intensifies.

The Oscars have strict deadlines, and films must meet specific requirements to be eligible. For filmmakers with an Oscar dream, there are some key dates to remember. Best Picture hopefuls need to show proof of eligibility by September 10, 2025, for the first half of the year and November 13 for the second.

Important deadlines also apply for song and score submissions. Song entries? Due Oct 15. Score entries? Nov 3. It is a tight schedule, and missing a deadline means missing the Oscars.

It is official. The 98th Academy Awards will go live on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT. Catch all the glitz and drama as it airs on ABC, straight from Los Angeles.

The Academy confirmed the date in their official press release, keeping the tradition alive with a Sunday night celebration of cinema’s  greatest moments. A display of red-carpet moments, impassioned speeches, and memorable surprises will unfold on Hollywood’s grandest stage, where film history will once again be made and celebrated!

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Which film do you think will dominate the 2026 Oscars race? Let us know in the comments!