TL;DR
The 98th Academy Award nominations are officially out, and for parents, it’s a mixed bag of "finally something we can watch together" and "wait, why is everyone talking about a vampire movie?"
- The Big Winner for Families: Zootopia 2 is the clear frontrunner for Best Animated Feature. It’s safe, smart, and actually worth the theater prices.
- The "Wait for Streaming" Pick: Elio from Pixar got the nod, but it’s definitely "Tier 2" Pixar.
- The Teen Obsession: Sinners broke records with its nomination count, but it’s a hard PG-13 (bordering on R) that will have your middle schoolers begging to go.
- The Drama: Wicked got absolutely ghosted in the major categories, which is basically the "Ohio" of Oscar snubs this year.
The nominations for the 98th Academy Awards just dropped, and if you’re like me, your group chats are already blowing up. Between the "I can't believe they snubbed Ariana" texts and the genuine confusion over how a horror movie like Sinners managed to sweep the technical categories, there’s a lot to unpack.
As intentional parents, we aren't just looking for "what's good." We’re looking for what’s going to spark a three-hour argument about screen time, what’s going to give the seven-year-old nightmares, and what’s actually teaching our kids something other than how to spend money on Robux.
Here is your Screenwise guide to the 2026 Oscar nominations.
This year’s Best Animated Feature category is actually... good? Usually, we get one masterpiece and four movies that feel like they were written by an AI trying to understand "family values." But 2026 is giving us some meat.
Disney finally realized that we didn't want more live-action remakes; we wanted more Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps. Zootopia 2 is everything the first one was—socially conscious, fast-paced, and genuinely funny for adults. It’s the heavy favorite to win, and honestly, it deserves it. It tackles "digital citizenship" in a way that doesn't feel like a lecture. Ages: 6+
Pixar’s latest is about an underdog boy who becomes the ambassador for Earth in an interstellar organization. It’s cute. It’s fine. But compared to the emotional gut-punch of Inside Out 2, it feels a little light. It’s great for a Disney+ afternoon, but maybe not the "life-changing" Pixar experience we usually hope for. Ages: 5+
If your kids haven't read The Wild Robot by Peter Brown yet, stop reading this and go to the library. The movie adaptation is a visual masterpiece. It’s the "prestige" pick of the animated category. It’s quiet, beautiful, and might actually make your kids put down their iPads for five minutes to talk about nature. Ages: 7+
Ask our chatbot for more animated movie recommendations for your specific age group
Let’s talk about Sinners. Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan basically took the "vampire thriller" genre and turned it into an Oscar juggernaut. It broke the record for the most nominations for a genre film in Academy history.
Here’s the thing: your 12-year-old is going to see the TikTok edits. They’re going to hear about the "insane" twist. But is it family-friendly? Hard no. It’s intense, it’s bloody, and it deals with some very heavy themes of Jim Crow-era survival mixed with supernatural horror.
If you have a 15-year-old who is into film, this is a great "bridge" movie to watch together and discuss cinematography and social commentary. If you have a 10-year-old who still gets scared by Minecraft zombies? Keep them far away.
The biggest shock of the morning was Wicked getting ghosted in the major categories. No Best Picture, no Best Actress for Cynthia Erivo or Ariana Grande. It picked up some technical nods (Costume Design, obviously), but the Academy basically told Oz to "begone."
Why does this matter for your family? Because Wicked was the "event" movie of the last year for many kids. If your household is currently a 24/7 loop of the soundtrack, use this as a teaching moment about "subjective art." Just because the "experts" in the Academy didn't vote for it doesn't mean it didn't have a massive cultural impact.
Also, it’s a great excuse to re-watch the original The Wizard of Oz and talk about how stories change over time.
Elementary School (Grades K-5)
Stick to the Animated Feature category. Zootopia 2 and The Wild Robot are your gold standards. Avoid the "Best Picture" hype for anything else—most of the live-action nominees this year are heavy on the dialogue and light on the "keeping a 7-year-old's attention" factor.
Middle School (Grades 6-8)
This is the tough zone. They want to see the "cool" movies like Sinners or Avatar: Fire and Ash (which cleaned up in the Visual Effects category).
- The Move: Watch Avatar: Fire and Ash together. It’s a visual feast and the environmental themes are great for school projects.
- The Warning: Be wary of the "International Feature" nominees. There are some incredible films there, but many deal with very adult themes that middle schoolers might find "boring" or "cringe" without the right context.
High School (Grades 9-12)
Let them lead. If they want to see the 3-hour biopic about a 19th-century philosopher that got 10 nominations, let them! This is the age where they start to develop their own "critical eye."
- Pro Tip: Use the Letterboxd app to follow what they’re watching. It’s the "social media for movies" and it’s surprisingly wholesome compared to TikTok.
If you want to actually engage your kids in the Oscar conversation, don't talk about "prestige" or "the industry." Talk about the stories.
- The "Underdog" Narrative: Talk about Elio. Why do we love stories about kids who don't fit in?
- The "Sequel" Fatigue: Ask them—did we really need Zootopia 2? Or Toy Story 5? (Yes, that's coming too). Is Hollywood running out of ideas, or do we just love these characters that much?
- The Tech: If your kids are into Roblox or Fortnite, talk about the Visual Effects category. Show them behind-the-scenes clips of how they made the fire in Avatar: Fire and Ash. It bridges the gap between their games and "real" movies.
Learn more about how movie tech is influencing video game design
The 2026 Oscar nominations show a Hollywood that is finally leaning back into "fun" while still trying to be "serious." For us parents, it means we actually have a reason to go to the theater again.
Skip the snubbed Wicked if you’re looking for "award-winning" drama, but definitely take the family to see Zootopia 2. And if your teen asks to see Sinners, maybe watch the trailer together first—it’s a record-breaker, but it’s definitely not for the faint of heart.
- Host a Family Ballot: Print out the nominations and let everyone pick their winners. Winner gets to choose the next movie for family night!
- Check the Ratings: Before you head to the theater, check the Screenwise WISE scores for each nominee to make sure it fits your family's boundaries.
- Ask the Bot: Not sure if a specific nominee is okay for your kid? Ask our chatbot for a quick breakdown.