When it comes to underrepresented genres at the Oscars, the horror genre has the most history. This lack of acknowledgement could stem from many factors, such as horror’s relatively low budget, its at-times grotesque imagery, or the fact that one of the driving forces is to scare an audience. The technical aspects have broken through, earning below-the-line Oscar nominations and wins. Still, even this supernatural genre of ghouls and spirits has managed to find ways into the Oscars Best Picture race with seven horror films including The Exorcist, Jaws, The Silence of the Lambs, The Sixth Sense, Black Swan, Get Out, and most recently, last year’s body horror film The Substance all being nominated in the Best Picture category with The Silence of the Lambs winning the award in 1992. 2025 has been a strong year for the horror genre, not only at the box office but also in terms of awards success, with multiple films not only pushed for Oscars but also regarded as potential frontrunners. With Halloween recently passing, I wanted to take a look at the horror films vying for recognition at next year’s Academy Awards and take a look at which films have a legitimate shot at breaking through some of the above-the-line categories.

This year, three films are looking to make a splash in the Oscar race: Frankenstein, Sinners, and Weapons. Each film was released by a major distributor and will receive an awards push in hopes that the academy will appreciate not just the films themselves, but also one of cinema’s oldest genres.

Frankenstein

Guillermo del Toro is in a small group of people you just know, when they take on a project like Frankenstein, that the material couldn’t be in better hands. Del Toro’s attention to detail is not only noticed by viewers, but also by academy voters who have consistently shown his films love at the Oscars. Of his previous three films pre-Frankenstein, one won Best Picture (The Shape of Water), another was nominated (Nightmare Alley), and he also swept the race for Best Animated Feature with Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio in 2023. His version of Pinocchio, a story told in myriad ways, was so wholly his own that his name will be forever attached to it, which is exactly the kind of attention that del Toro brings to his movies. However, while Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio brought new life to the story including a Gepetto backstory of how he lost his son, Carlo, and bringing in real world events such as the World Wars and the rise of fascism in Italy, his version of Frankenstein seems to be more in line with the source material, which is considered one of, if not, the best science-fiction/horror novels ever made.

His vision and attention are exactly what make Frankenstein a strong Best Picture candidate. While I think it will compete for a nomination in many above-the-line categories, including Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor for Jacob Elordi’s performance as the monster, below the line is where this film will make its best run. Frankenstein is an early frontrunner for Best Makeup & Hairstyling, Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, and will be competitive in the Best Original Score, Best Visual Effects, and Best Cinematography categories as well. On its best morning, Frankenstein manages to pick up double-digit nominations, cementing itself as a Best Picture contender.

Likely Nominations: Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup & Hair, Best Production Design, Best Visual Effects

Possible Nominations: Best Director, Best Supporting Actor (Jacob Elordi), Best Original Score

Sinners

The duo of Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan is a match made in heaven. Many great directors have a star or two they continue to work with because of their shared bond (Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro, for example), and Coogler found his muse in Jordan. In each of the five feature-length projects that Coogler has directed, Jordan has made an appearance, whether as a protagonist, antagonist, or in a short cameo role. Both the actor and the director burst onto the scene at the same time with the release of Fruitvale Station, Coogler’s feature-length debut, and Jordan’s first major role since the ending of NBC’s Friday Night Lights. Sinners proved just how much Coogler loves working with Jordan, as he gave him two roles in the film. Sinners being a good movie was an easy call, as Coogler has yet to make a dud. Even his worst movie’s rating as a director was (Wakanda Forever), and it still received a fresh 84% on Rotten Tomatoes. However, Sinners being heralded not just as one of the best of the year but as the early Best Picture favorite was something no one could see coming.

While the title of early Best Picture favorite might have been shocking, it didn’t take long watching the film to understand why the title was being thrown around. Coogler takes his directing up a notch, blending the action and drama for which his career has been known so far and adding an element of horror, delivering a fully realized product. I would expect him to make a push for his first Best Director nomination, but even more so, I expect him to compete for a win in the Best Original Screenplay category. Michael B. Jordan could also find a way into the Best Actor category with a strong showing from critics and industry awards, although he will have to fight off a large number of former winners and nominees to earn a spot in the top 5. On Sinners’ best day, he’s there too.

You can also expect Sinners to show up in a large number of below-the-line categories; like Frankenstein, the volume of below-the-line nominations will make this film an inevitable Best Picture nominee. Right now, I am expecting Sinners to be competing for a win in categories such as Best Song for the climactic “I Lied to You,” two-time winner Ludwig Göransson is back in the race for Best Original Score, and if it looks to compete in the Best Picture race, then look for it to be a strong contender in Best Editing as well. Also look for it to show up in Best Costume Design, Best Makeup & Hairstyling, Best Sound, and the Oscars’ brand-new Best Casting award.

Likely Nominations: Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Casting, Best Editing, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup & Hair, Best Sound, Best Score, Best Original Song

Possible Nominations: Best Director, Best Actor, Best Cinematography

Weapons

Weapons was one of the more surprising hits of 2025. Zach Cregger’s previous film, Barbarian, showcased his talents as an exciting new face in the horror genre, but few could have seen just how big this film ended up becoming. Earning over $100 million both domestically and internationally, this film grossed more internationally than Sinners and totaled over $267 million worldwide. Much of that can be attributed to Zach Cregger’s masterful direction and a screenplay that weaves in and out of the lives of the local residents, all culminating in a scary, gruesome, dark, and somewhat hilarious ending. Weapons quickly became a film that many people theorized about and questioned, and it was no surprise that it took off on the internet so seamlessly. It didn’t have to wait to earn cult status; people quickly took to it, and they loved not just the film itself but also the main antagonist, Aunt Gladys. Played by Amy Madigan, Aunt Gladys took off like a rocket, becoming one of the hottest Halloween costumes of the year. Amy Madigan brought the character to life in equal parts hilarious and terrifying, molding one of the best horror antagonists in quite some time. Her performance was so strong that, before the film had even left the theater, an Aunt Gladys origin film was already being pushed at Warner Bros.

Of the three major horror contenders, Weapons is the least likely to earn a Best Picture nomination, but it isn’t out of the running entirely. Even if it doesn’t land the Best Picture nomination, that doesn’t mean it will show up empty-handed come nomination morning. Amy Madigan has a genuine shot at breaking into the Best Supporting Actress race with her performance as Aunt Gladys, and the originality, intricacies, and depth of the script could land Zach Cregger his first nomination in Best Original Screenplay, given that it is a somewhat weaker year in the category. In the below-the-line categories, Weapons could also make a push in Best Makeup & Hair, delivering not only the iconic look of Aunt Gladys but also the horrifying look of the weaponized figures in the film. While it is still unlikely, it looks like they’re gonna give it a shot.

Likely Nominations: Best Supporting Actress (Amy Madigan)

Possible Nominations: Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Makeup & Hair,
As I mentioned earlier, only seven horror films have ever made it all the way to a Best Picture nomination. I’m not sure if any of these can follow in the footsteps of The Silence of the Lambs’ famous horror win for best picture, but in a year where horror films have reigned supreme, look for some of these to make a real shot at Oscars gold.