Sizing up 'One Battle After Another,' 'Hamnet,' and other early 2026 Oscar frontrunners — and can 'KPop Demon Hunters' get a Best Picture nomination?

A new season of The Awardist kicks off with host Gerrad Hall, EW Sr. Writer Joey Nolfi, and Sr. Editor Joyce Eng breaking down all of the early action on the road to the 2026 Oscars. We're talking about early frontrunners — including Paul Thomas Anderson's 'One Battle After Another,' led by Leonardo DiCaprio, to Chloe Zhao's 'Hamnet' starring the one-to-beat Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal — the movies that gained the most out of the fall festival circuit, the big contenders still to come, and who might be a dark horse, including 'KPop Demon Hunters.' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices