Can Sinners Break the Oscar Jinx? Fans Tip It Over DiCaprio’s Latest

With the new year rolling in, the Oscars are just around the corner and the awards buzz is in full swing. Among the standout films of 2025, Sinners has quickly become a talking point for punters and critics alike. The big question on everyone’s mind: will it finally put an end to the so-called Oscar curse that’s haunted horror flicks for decades?

Horror’s Long Wait for Oscar Glory

Since the Academy first started handing out gongs, only one horror film has ever nabbed Best Picture—The Silence of the Lambs back in 1991. Not a single one has managed the feat since. Now, with Ryan Coogler at the helm and Michael B. Jordan leading the cast, Sinners is shaping up as a real contender to break that dry spell. But it’s not the only film in the running. Leonardo DiCaprio’s One Battle After Another is also getting heaps of attention, with fans already picking sides.

I’m glad Ryan Coogler got, at least, Original Screenplay but I wish he got Best Picture and Best Director for Sinners. If he has to lose, at least it’s to PTA for One Battle After Another, but I still think it should be Coogler’s year 🥺 #CriticsChoiceAwards

Reactions have been pouring in online, with some viewers moved by Sinners’ story of characters searching for freedom in all the wrong places—religion, war, money, even immortality—only to find it always just out of reach.

I was so emotional after watching Sinners. They just wanted to be free. They looked for it in religion, fought for it in war, thought they had it in financial stability, even tried immortality. And they never really got it. We never really got it.

DiCaprio’s Drama Faces Stiff Competition

Not everyone’s convinced, though. Some reckon One Battle After Another, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson and starring DiCaprio, is the stronger film. Despite not smashing it at the box office, the story of a paranoid ex-revolutionary dealing with his past has struck a chord with many. The film digs into themes like fatherhood, guilt, and the way old mistakes can come back to haunt you. DiCaprio’s performance, alongside Benicio del Toro, has been singled out as a highlight, making the film a serious Oscar threat—alongside Timothée Chalamet’s Marty Supreme.

i saw one battle after another. yes, it was great but please stop the madness. #Sinners

Still, plenty of fans are backing Sinners, calling it the better film and hoping it’ll finally see a horror title take home the top prize.

Sinners was better than One Battle After Another

What Sets Sinners Apart

While One Battle After Another has been praised for its narrative, some viewers feel it treads familiar ground, stitching together elements from other films. Sinners, on the other hand, has been lauded for its bold allegory—portraying white characters as vampires and weaving in the Ku Klux Klan to deliver a powerful message. The film’s exploration of Black history, freedom, and the cost of immortality has resonated with many, with Michael B. Jordan’s portrayal of the Smoke-Stack twins earning special mention.

The final monologue by Stack, reflecting on fleeting moments of freedom, has been described as both original and deeply moving. For many, this is what makes Sinners a standout and a deserving candidate for Best Picture at the 2026 Academy Awards.

By the Numbers: Sinners vs. One Battle After Another

Here’s a quick look at how the two films stack up:

Directed by: Ryan Coogler (Sinners), Paul Thomas Anderson (One Battle After Another)

Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Miles Caton (Sinners); Leonardo DiCaprio, Benicio del Toro, Sean Penn (One Battle After Another)

Release Dates: 18 April 2025 (Sinners), 26 September 2025 (One Battle After Another)

IMDb Ratings: 7.5/10 (Sinners), 7.8/10 (One Battle After Another)

Rotten Tomatoes: 97% critics, 96% audience (Sinners); 95% critics, 85% audience (One Battle After Another)

Box Office: $367 million (Sinners), $205 million (One Battle After Another)

Production: Warner Bros. Pictures (Sinners), Ghoulardi Film Company (One Battle After Another)

Streaming: Both available on HBO Max

Which film gets your vote? Share your thoughts below.