Director Paul Thomas Anderson, who also took home awards for Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay, accepted the honor at the ceremony. “This is really fantastic, fantastic news. We'll take it,” said Anderson, 55, onstage. “A lot of great films. It's great to be in this room. It's great to be a part of all of this. It's great to have this cast behind me.”
Anderson went on to praise the collaborative spirit of filmmaking, noting, “I'd say this is the best time I ever had making a movie, and I feel like it shows. It's just a testament to being with people that you love. Because as somebody said earlier, this is fine and this is fun, but it really is about the people that you work with. That's all that there is at the end of the day.”
The film, now streaming on HBO Max, stars Leonardo DiCaprio and marks Anderson’s first release since 2021's Licorice Pizza. Described as a sprawling exploration of political revolution and father-daughter relationships, One Battle After Another also features Teyana Taylor, Regina Hall, Sean Penn, and Chase Infiniti. Both DiCaprio and Infiniti earned nominations for Best Actor and Best Actress, respectively, while Benicio del Toro and Penn were recognized in the Best Supporting Actor category, with Taylor nominated for Best Supporting Actress.
Other nominees for Best Picture included:
- Bugonia, Emma Stone’s latest collaboration with Yorgos Lanthimos, centers on a pharmaceutical executive abducted by a duo convinced she is an alien plotting to take over the Earth.
- Frankenstein, Guillermo del Toro’s adaptation of Mary Shelley’s classic, stars Jacob Elordi as the Creature and Oscar Isaac as Dr. Frankenstein, supported by a star-studded ensemble including Christoph Waltz and Charles Dance.
- Hamnet, directed by Chloé Zhao, follows a fictionalized version of William Shakespeare’s family life, exploring grief and inspiration behind the play Hamlet, starring Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley.
- Jay Kelly, featuring George Clooney and Adam Sandler, tracks the reflective European journey of a fading movie star alongside his manager.
- Marty Supreme, starring Timothée Chalamet as an ambitious pro table tennis player, chronicles his chaotic pursuit of a world championship in 1952.
- Sentimental Value, with Stellan Skarsgård and Elle Fanning, examines familial estrangement and artistic ambition within the film industry.
- Sinners, leading the night with 17 nominations, is Ryan Coogler’s period drama about twin brothers opening a nightclub in 1930s Mississippi, featuring Michael B. Jordan in dual roles and winning the inaugural Best Casting and Ensemble award.
- Train Dreams, adapted from Denis Johnson’s novella, follows Joel Edgerton as a man navigating life and love in the early 20th-century Pacific Northwest.
- Wicked: For Good, Jon M. Chu’s adaptation of the Broadway hit, continues the story of Elphaba and Glinda after their falling out with the Wizard of Oz, starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.
Sunday’s ceremony celebrated a diverse slate of stories, ranging from historical dramas and musical adaptations to intimate family narratives, showcasing both blockbuster spectacle and deeply personal storytelling. With One Battle After Another leading the pack, the Critics Choice Awards have set a high bar for cinematic achievement in 2026.