The movie — a dramatic tale centered on the kidnapping of a former revolutionary’s daughter — earned a prime spot in the musical/comedy film category. DiCaprio joins co-stars Sean Penn, Teyana Taylor, Benicio Del Toro, and young breakout Chase Infiniti among the acting nominees, giving the film a commanding presence across several of the Globes’ major races.
Close behind is Norway’s multi-language family drama Sentimental Value with eight nominations, reinforcing a strong showing for international cinema this year. Other heavily nominated films include Sinners (7), Hamnet (6), and Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein (5). Despite its commercial success, Wicked: For Good missed the best film lineup but still enters the evening with five nominations, including a nod for box office achievement.
The ceremony, set for January 11 in Los Angeles, often signals early Oscar consensus and serves as a crucial publicity platform for films trying to maintain momentum through the winter awards circuit.
A Broad Mix of Genres and Global Voices
Among the notable contenders is Hamnet, adapted from Maggie O’Farrell’s novel and featuring Irish performers Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley, both of whom earned acting nominations. Timothée Chalamet secured recognition for embodying table tennis champion Marty Mauser in the biopic Marty Supreme, while George Clooney marked his 14th Globe nomination for his role in Noah Baumbach’s Jay Kelly. His co-star Adam Sandler scored a supporting nod, adding another layer of veteran star power to the lineup.
Emma Stone, who continues to see awards traction, earned a nomination for her turn in the dark comedy Bugonia, which also brought recognition to co-star Jesse Plemons. International contenders made significant headway as well, including Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi’s It Was Just an Accident, collecting four nominations for its politically charged revenge drama. The Secret Agent and No Other Choice rounded out a notably cosmopolitan list with three nominations each.
Television: UK Drama ‘Adolescence’ Breaks Out
On the television side, British limited series Adolescence had an exceptionally strong showing, garnering four acting nominations — for Stephen Graham, Owen Cooper, Erin Doherty, and Ashley Walters — and a spot in the best limited series category. It trails only The White Lotus, which led TV nominations with six, including recognition for Carrie Coon, Parker Posey, and Aimee Lee Wood.
Other key TV contenders include The Pitt, The Diplomat, Pluribus, Severance, and Slow Horses, all vying for the competitive best drama category alongside The White Lotus.
Snubs, Surprises, and Storylines to Watch
Award-season unpredictability was on full display. Although Wicked: For Good landed multiple nominations, its omission from the best musical/comedy film category was one of the morning’s biggest snubs. Several films — including A House of Dynamite, Christy, and Is This Thing On? — were shut out entirely.
But there were notable surprises. Indie filmmaker-actor Eva Victor turned heads with a best actress nomination for Sorry, Baby, a project she also wrote and directed. Emily Blunt earned recognition for The Smashing Machine, joining co-star Dwayne Johnson, who continued his awards-season push. In another milestone, Hamnet director Chloé Zhao became only the fourth woman in history to receive two Golden Globe directing nominations.
Amanda Seyfried, Jacob Elordi, and Jeremy Allen White each secured double nominations across film and television categories — evidence that star power remains a prized currency at the Globes.
Music and Craft Highlights
The best song race includes Dream as One from Avatar: Fire and Ash and the hit single Golden from KPop Demon Hunters, which is also nominated for best animation. Composer Jonny Greenwood earned a nod for his score for One Battle After Another, adding a prestigious craft element to the film’s sweeping nomination haul.
Early Outlook
While early favorites like One Battle After Another often carry heavy expectations into awards season, the field is wide, and surprises tend to emerge as campaign narratives shift. For now, the nominations underscore a year marked by genre variety, international storytelling, and an enduring appetite for star-driven prestige projects. With three months until the Oscars, the Globes will be the first major indicator of how the race may evolve.