One Battle After Another won the Producers Guild of America Award 2026 for Best Theatrical Motion Picture, and it has reshaped the Best Picture conversation for the 98th Academy Awards. The Paul Thomas Anderson-directed feature has been sweeping major trophies this season and is once again dominating the conversation in the film circle.
The movie is anchored in Leonardo DiCaprio’s magnetic performance as a washed-up activist, and it has a total of 13 Oscar nominations, so the chances of winning have just increased. Now, let’s look at why it is the case, and how the movie is stacking wins at every major award!
Title:One Battle After AnotherDirected By:Paul Thomas AndersonCast:Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Regina HallRelease Date:September 26, 2025IMDb Rating (as of March 1)7.7/10Rotten Tomatoes Score (as of March 1)94%Production House:Ghoulardi Film CompanyWhere to Watch:HBO Max
Why One Battle After Another’s Recent Win Changes the Oscar Race
Historically, the Producers Guild of America Award (PGA) isn’t just another trophy. It’s the industry’s most reliable predictor of what’s to come on Hollywood’s biggest night! Since 2021, every PGA winner has won the Best Picture award at the Oscars.
This includes Nomadland, CODA, Everything Everywhere All at Once, Oppenheimer, and Anora. So, the pattern is nearly structural, and the Leonardo DiCaprio-starrer might win due to industry support rather than just deep admiration.
Films can survive without critics’ approval and even box office success at times, but almost none survive without the industry’s consensus, and One Battle After Another has that in abundance! Marty Supreme emerged as a strong contender, and still is, and there are also other big names such as Sinners and Sentimental Value.
But with the PGA win, the action thriller’s chances have increased more than ever. It has changed the question from “who will win?” to “who can beat One Battle After Another?” because it no longer seems like a frontrunner, but the default choice.
How One Battle After Another Became an Awards Season Juggernaut
Leonardo DiCaprio in One Battle After Another | Credits: Warner Bros. Pictures
One Battle After Another’s major award sweep has been actively shaping the Oscars’ outcome. It won big at the Golden Globes and BAFTAs, in major categories like Best Film, Best Director, and Best Screenplay. It also conquered the prestigious critics’ circuit, taking home top honours from the National Board of Review, the New York Film Critics Circle, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, and more.
International recognition has further solidified its status, with major wins at the César Awards in France, the AACTA International Awards, the London Film Critics’ Circle Awards, and the Toronto Film Critics Association Awards. So, looking at its historical run this awards season, do you think One Battle After Another will be crowned Best Picture at the Oscars?
One Battle After Another is currently streaming on HBO Max (USA).
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