Hollywood has been criticized time and time again for racism and exclusion, and this year’s awards season has been no exception.
Let’s be clear: film and TV award ceremonies and, by proxy, snubbing, are subjective. Although awards ceremonies are made to reward outstanding talent and skill in cinema, they have often been criticized for leaving out marginalized people; with protests like #OscarsSoWhite, started specifically to address this issue. It makes sense that people wouldn’t be surprised if the Academy Awards were biased in the voting process.
It’s tough competition at the Oscars this year with notable films like “Marty Supreme,” “Frankenstein,” and “Sentimental Value” earning nine nominations each; “One Battle After Another” taking 13; and “Sinners” receiving a record-setting 16 — more nominations than any movie in history.
A larger discussion is being directed towards who will win the Best Actor award: Michael B. Jordan is nominated for “Sinners,” and Timothée Chalamet for “Marty Supreme,” and they are at the center of the discourse.
During the Critics’ Choice Awards, the prize for Best Actor went to Chalamet. Many fans and critics felt Jordan was snubbed, and chances are that he’ll be snubbed again at the Oscars. This has created a back-and-forth between fans and critics.
“Sinners,” a period piece horror film where twin brothers (both played by Jordan) attempt to open a juke joint, only to end up fighting vampires. “Sinners” was an impactful movie for fans and audiences. The film was created by a Black production team and has a majority Black-led cast. The film features themes of Black joy in the face of oppression, collective memory, music, and colonialism. The Academy has a history of racism; If “Sinners” is snubbed again, it, understandably, touches a familiar wound for the Black community.
In April 2025, Variety posted to Twitter (which I refuse to call X), “Sinners’ has amassed $61 million in its global debut. It’s a great result for an original, R-rated horror film, yet the Warner Bros. release has a $90 million price tag before global marketing expenses, so profitability remains a ways away.”
But when Variety reviewed “Marty Supreme,” they gave the film much more grace. Variety posted to Twitter, “‘Marty Supreme’ earned $6.73 million domestically on Friday. The film has earned $16.2 million since Christmas and is projected gross $30 million by Sunday.” That leaves out the fact that it cost over $70 million to make. This tune is different from the one Variety sang about “Sinners” — especially for a film that arguably had more to lose financially because of its A24 studio backing.
“Sinners” grossed over $48 million domestically in its opening weekend, and at the time of this publication, has made between $365 million and $369 million. Black-led films succeed in ways despite any perceived barriers, yet are still met with these backhanded comments.
“Sinners” numbers should have been celebrated. Actor and comedian Ben Stiller posted to Twitter, “In what universe does a 60 million dollar opening for an original studio movie warrant this headline?”
A key difference between “Sinners” and “Marty Supreme” is that “Marty Supreme” didn’t make a landmark rights deal, and “Sinners” did. Ryan Coogler, the director of “Sinners,” will own all rights to his blockbuster film in 25 years. This is an extremely rare deal that few directors get, and it allegedly made people in Hollywood anxious. Even if that wait time is older than I am, it’s a big win for Hollywood’s creatives — specifically, Black creatives — because it sets the precedent of autonomy and possibility during an era where large sums of residual money fall out of the hands of creatives, and the looming threat of AI prevails.
The question of which, if any, Oscars “Sinners” will take home can’t be answered until March 15. With 16 nominations, they’ve got a good chance at earning at least a handful, but if the Critics’ Choice Awards are any indication, it feels unlikely we’ll see a “Sinners” sweep.
As for Jordan, he isn’t favored to win Best Actor; early predictions have that prize going to Chalamet.
Despite the Best Actor predictions, there is a glimmer of hope. It’s speculated that Coogler will win Best Director or Best Screenplay, making it unlikely for the film and its actors to leave empty-handed. If Coogler won Best Director, he’d be the first Black director to win the category in the 98 years the Oscars have existed, proving to the academy and to the world that audiences crave Black stories from Black creatives, by giving them the recognition they rightfully deserve.
