Sinners, Frankenstein, and The Ugly Stepsister make Oscars shortlists in a strong showing for horror

This week, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced shortlists in 12 categories for the 98th Academy Awards. The horror genre is well-represented. Sinners, Frankenstein, and perhaps most surprisingly, The Ugly Stepsister, all made Oscars shortlists.

Horror fans, including me, have long felt that the prestigious awards ceremony has often snubbed the genre, with the exception of The Silence of the Lambs, which won Oscars in several categories in 1992, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Actress, among others. The Exorcist, on the other hand, only won Oscars for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Sound Mixing, despite nominations in ten categories, including Best Picture and Best Director.

However, the Academy has been a bit more welcoming to horror within the last decade. In 2018, Get Out won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, and the horror adjacent The Shape of Water won four Oscars that same year, including Best Director and Best Picture.

The Oscars shortlists announced so far don't include Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, or Best Director, but still, it's great to see horror well-represented so far.

Sinners- Courtesy of Warner Bros.

Sinners makes multiple Oscars shortlists

So far, Sinners has topped the most shortlists out of any horror film from 2025, and it's likely to earn some full-blown nominations, and hopefully, some wins. Here are the shortlists writer/director Ryan Coogler's film has made thus far:

• Casting - Francine Maisler

• Cinematography - Autumn Durald Arkapaw

• Makeup and Hair Styling

• Original Score- Ludwig Goransson

• Original Song- "I Lied to You" by Ludwig Goransson and Raphael Saadiq

• Original Song - "Last Time (I Seen the Sun)" by Miles Caton, Ludwig Goransson, and Alice Smith

• Sound

• Visual Effects

Frankenstein- Courtesy of Netflix

Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein is another Oscars favorite

Other than Sinners, Guillermo del Toro's adaptation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein for Netflix seems like another major Oscars contender. It's already landed on several shortlists, though not as many as Sinners. Here's the breakdown:

• Casting - Robin D. Cook

• Cinematography - Dan Lausten

• Makeup and Hair Styling

• Original Score - Alexandre Desplat

• Sound

• Visual Effects

Weapons - Courtesy of Warner Bros.

Weapons makes one Oscars shortlist thus far

Other than Sinners, Weapons had one of the most successful box office runs out of any horror movie this year, especially for an original film. Unlike its Warner Brothers counterpart, however, the movie only landed on one shortlist thus far. Here's hoping that Amy Madigan earns an Oscar nomination for her unforgettable role as Aunt Gladys.

• Casting - Allison Jones

The Ugly Stepsister- Courtesy of Shudder

The Ugly Stepsister is the biggest surprise

The Ugly Stepsister was, by far, one of my favorite horror movies of the year. It's a twisted retelling of Cinderella, so I was absolutely thrilled to see it land upon a shortlist.

• Best Makeup and Hair Styling

Meanwhile, a few horror adjacent movies also made shortlists, including Bugonia and KPop Demon Hunters. The smash Netflix hit landed on the shortlist for Best Original Song. This should come as no surprise. Those KPop Demon Hunter songs were everywhere this year. Bugonia landed on shortlists for Cinematography and Original Score.

Nominations for the 98th Academy Awards will be announced on January 22. The awards ceremony will be held on March 15 at 7 pm ET and televised on ABC.