Paul Thomas Anderson’s war epic One Battle After Another emerged the big winner at the 98th Academy Awards in Los Angeles, claiming Best Picture and cementing its status as the season’s critical and commercial juggernaut.

The film, produced by Warner Bros., also delivered Anderson his long-awaited Best Director statuette, alongside wins for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Film Editing. The tightly cut, character-driven drama, anchored by Leonardo DiCaprio and an ensemble cast, was praised by voters for its blend of muscular spectacle and intimate storytelling.

Ryan Coogler’s Sinners, which led the field with 16 nominations, converted several of its nods into major prizes. Michael B. Jordan took home Best Actor for his searing performance as a conflicted antihero, while Coogler’s original script won Best Original Screenplay. Cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw added to the film’s haul with a win for Best Cinematography, and composer Ludwig Göransson secured Best Original Score, underscoring the film’s technical and artistic sweep.

In the acting categories, Jessie Buckley was named Best Actress for Hamnet, a literary drama that reimagines the life and grief surrounding Shakespeare’s only son. Her performance, widely regarded as a career peak, triumphed over a field that included Rose Byrne, Kate Hudson, Renate Reinsve and Emma Stone.

Sean Penn’s turn in One Battle After Another earned him Best Supporting Actor, edging out Benicio Del Toro, Jacob Elordi, Delroy Lindo and Stellan Skarsgård. Amy Madigan won Best Supporting Actress for Weapons, prevailing in a category that featured Elle Fanning, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Wunmi Mosaku and Teyana Taylor.

Beyond the headline races, the night showcased a broad spread of winners. Frankenstein scored in Costume Design and Makeup and Hairstyling, while Sentimental Value claimed International Feature Film for Norway. The animated category saw KPop Demon Hunters take Animated Feature, with its song Golden also winning Best Original Song.

In the shorts arena, The Girl Who Cried Pearls won Animated Short Film, while the Live-Action Short Film race ended in a rare tie between The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva. Documentary honors went to Mr. Nobody Against Putin for Feature and All the Empty Rooms for Documentary Short.

Rounding out the craft categories, Avatar: Fire and Ash dominated Visual Effects, and F1 captured the Sound award, underscoring a ceremony that balanced auteur-driven dramas with large-scale studio spectacles.