The 31st annual Critics’ Choice Awards (CCA), hosted by Chelsea Handler, will broadcast LIVE on both coasts on E! and USA Network on Sunday, January 4, 2026, from 7:00-10:00 p.m. ET/ 4:00-7:00 p.m. PT. The star-studded show will once again be held at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica and will continue its combined film and television awards format, honoring the best in cinematic, televised, and streaming achievement. The evening will feature must-see wins, memorable moments, and wall-to-wall red-carpet coverage as the first televised awards show of the 2025 awards season kicks off. Please take a look at some members of Next Best Picture’s predictions and stay tuned for the show!
Predictions are provided by: Alyssa Christian, Cody Dericks, Dan Bayer, Ema Sasic, Josh Parham, Matt Neglia, Nadia Dalimonte, Sara Clements, Tom O’Brien & Will Mavity
BEST PICTURE
Bugonia
Frankenstein
Hamnet
Jay Kelly
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another (ALL)
Sentimental Value
Sinners
Train Dreams
Wicked: For Good
BEST ACTOR
Timothée Chalamet – Marty Supreme (Cody, Ema, Josh, Matt, Nadia, Sara, Tom & Will)
Leonardo DiCaprio – One Battle After Another
Joel Edgerton – Train Dreams
Ethan Hawke – Blue Moon (Alyssa & Dan)
Michael B. Jordan – Sinners
Wagner Moura – The Secret Agent
BEST ACTRESS
Jessie Buckley – Hamnet (Alyssa, Cody, Josh, Matt & Will)
Rose Byrne – If I Had Legs I’d Kick You (Dan, Ema, Nadia, Sara & Tom)
Chase Infiniti – One Battle After Another
Renate Reinsve – Sentimental Value
Amanda Seyfried – The Testament of Ann Lee
Emma Stone – Bugonia
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Benicio del Toro – One Battle After Another (Alyssa, Cody, Ema, Josh, Matt, Nadia, Sara, Tom & Will)
Jacob Elordi – Frankenstein
Paul Mescal – Hamnet
Sean Penn – One Battle After Another
Adam Sandler – Jay Kelly
Stellan Skarsgård – Sentimental Value (Dan)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Elle Fanning – Sentimental Value
Ariana Grande – Wicked: For Good
Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas – Sentimental Value
Amy Madigan – Weapons (Cody, Matt, Nadia, Sara, Tom & Will)
Wunmi Mosaku – Sinners
Teyana Taylor – One Battle After Another (Alyssa, Dan & Ema)
BEST YOUNG ACTOR / ACTRESS
Everett Blunck – The Plague
Miles Caton – Sinners (Alyssa, Ema, Josh, Matt, Sara, Tom & Will)
Cary Christopher – Weapons
Shannon Mahina Gorman – Rental Family
Jacobi Jupe – Hamnet (Cody, Dan & Nadia)
Nina Ye – Left-Handed Girl
BEST DIRECTOR
Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another (ALL)
Ryan Coogler – Sinners
Guillermo del Toro – Frankenstein
Josh Safdie – Marty Supreme
Joachim Trier – Sentimental Value
Chloé Zhao – Hamnet
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Noah Baumbach, Emily Mortimer – Jay Kelly
Ronald Bronstein, Josh Safdie – Marty Supreme
Ryan Coogler – Sinners (ALL)
Zach Cregger – Weapons
Eva Victor – Sorry, Baby
Eskil Vogt, Joachim Trier – Sentimental Value
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another (Alyssa, Cody, Dan, Ema, Josh, Matt, Nadia, Sara & Tom)
Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar – Train Dreams
Park Chan-wook, Lee Kyoung-mi, Don Mckellar, Jahye Lee – No Other Choice
Guillermo del Toro – Frankenstein
Will Tracy – Bugonia
Chloé Zhao, Maggie O’Farrell – Hamnet (Will)
BEST CASTING AND ENSEMBLE
Nina Gold – Hamnet
Douglas Aibel, Nina Gold – Jay Kelly
Jennifer Venditti – Marty Supreme (Dan)
Cassandra Kulukundis – One Battle After Another (Ema & Tom)
Francine Maisler – Sinners (Alyssa, Cody, Josh, Matt, Nadia, Sara & Will)
Tiffany Little Canfield, Bernard Telsey – Wicked: For Good
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Claudio Miranda – F1
Dan Laustsen – Frankenstein
Łukasz Żal – Hamnet
Michael Bauman – One Battle After Another (Ema)
Autumn Durald Arkapaw – Sinners (Alyssa, Dan, Josh, Matt, Nadia, Sara, Tom & Will)
Adolpho Veloso – Train Dreams (Cody)
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Kasra Farahani, Jille Azis – The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Tamara Deverell, Shane Vieau – Frankenstein (Alyssa, Cody, Dan, Ema, Josh, Matt, Nadia, Tom & Will)
Fiona Crombie, Alice Felton – Hamnet
Jack Fisk, Adam Willis – Marty Supreme
Hannah Beachler, Monique Champagne – Sinners
Nathan Crowley, Lee Sandales – Wicked: For Good (Sara)
BEST EDITING
Kirk Baxter – A House of Dynamite
Stephen Mirrione – F1 (Will)
Ronald Bronstein, Josh Safdie – Marty Supreme (Josh)
Andy Jurgensen – One Battle After Another (Alyssa, Cody, Dan, Ema, Matt, Nadia, Sara & Tom)
Viridiana Lieberman – The Perfect Neighbor
Michael P. Shawver – Sinners
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Kate Hawley – Frankenstein (Alyssa, Cody, Dan, Ema, Matt, Nadia & Tom)
Malgosia Turzanska – Hamnet
Lindsay Pugh – Hedda
Colleen Atwood, Christine Cantella – Kiss of the Spider Woman
Ruth E. Carter – Sinners
Paul Tazewell – Wicked: For Good (Josh, Sara & Will)
BEST HAIR AND MAKEUP
Flora Moody, John Nolan – 28 Years Later
Mike Hill, Jordan Samuel, Cliona Furey – Frankenstein (Alyssa, Cody, Dan, Ema, Josh, Matt, Nadia, Tom & Will)
Siân Richards, Ken Diaz, Mike Fontaine, Shunika Terry – Sinners
Kazu Hiro, Felix Fox, Mia Neal – The Smashing Machine
Leo Satkovich, Melizah Wheat, Jason Collins – Weapons
Frances Hannon, Mark Coulier, Laura Blount – Wicked: For Good (Sara)
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon, Daniel Barrett – Avatar: Fire and Ash (ALL)
Ryan Tudhope, Nikeah Forde, Robert Harrington, Nicolas Chevallier, Eric Leven, Edward Price, Keith Dawson – F1
Dennis Berardi, Ayo Burgess, Ivan Busquets, José Granell – Frankenstein
Alex Wuttke, Ian Lowe, Jeff Sutherland, Kirstin Hall – Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
Michael Ralla, Espen Nordahl, Guido Wolter, Donnie Dean – Sinners
Stephane Ceretti, Enrico Damm, Stéphane Nazé, Guy Williams – Superman
BEST STUNT DESIGN
Stephen Dunlevy, Kyle Gardiner, Jackson Spidell, Jeremy Marinas, Jan Petřina, Domonkos Párdányi, Kinga Kósa-Gavalda – Ballerina
Gary Powell, Luciano Bacheta, Craig Dolby – F1 (Will)
Wade Eastwood – Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (Alyssa, Cody, Dan, Ema, Josh, Matt, Nadia & Tom)
Brian Machleit – One Battle After Another (Sara)
Andy Gill – Sinners
Giedrius Nagys – Warfare
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Arco
Elio
In Your Dreams
KPop Demon Hunters (ALL)
Little Amélie or the Character of Rain
Zootopia 2
BEST COMEDY
The Ballad of Wallis Island
Eternity
Friendship
The Naked Gun (Alyssa, Cody, Ema, Matt, Nadia, Tom & Will)
The Phoenician Scheme (Dan & Josh)
Splitsville (Sara)
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
It Was Just an Accident (ALL)
Left-Handed Girl
No Other Choice
The Secret Agent
Sirāt
Belén
BEST SONG
“Drive” – Ed Sheeran, John Mayer, Blake Slatkin – F1
“Golden” – Ejae, Mark Sonnenblick, Ido, 24, Teddy – KPop Demon Hunters (Cody, Ema, Josh, Matt, Nadia, Sara, Tom & Will)
“I Lied to You” – Raphael Saadiq, Ludwig Göransson – Sinners (Alyssa & Dan)
“Clothed by the Sun” – Daniel Blumberg – The Testament of Ann Lee
“Train Dreams” – Nick Cave, Bryce Dessner – Train Dreams
“The Girl in the Bubble” – Stephen Schwartz – Wicked: For Good
BEST SCORE
Hans Zimmer – F1
Alexandre Desplat – Frankenstein
Max Richter – Hamnet
Daniel Lopatin – Marty Supreme
Jonny Greenwood – One Battle After Another (Sara)
Ludwig Göransson – Sinners (Alyssa, Cody, Dan, Ema, Josh, Matt, Nadia, Tom & Will)
BEST SOUND
Al Nelson, Gwendolyn Yates Whittle, Gary A. Rizzo, Juan Peralta, Gareth John – F1 (Cody, Ema & Tom)
Nathan Robitaille, Nelson Ferreira, Christian Cooke, Brad Zoern, Greg Chapman – Frankenstein
Jose Antonio Garcia, Christopher Scarabosio, Tony Villaflor – One Battle After Another (Sara)
Chris Welcker, Benny Burtt, Brandon Proctor, Steve Boeddeker, Felipe Pacheco, David V. Butler – Sinners (Alyssa, Dan, Josh, Matt, Nadia & Will)
Laia Casanovas – Sirāt
Mitch Low, Glenn Freemantle, Ben Barker, Howard Bargroff, Richard Spooner – Warfare
BEST DRAMA SERIES
Alien: Earth
Andor
The Diplomat
Paradise
The Pitt (Alyssa, Cody, Ema, Josh, Matt, Nadia, Sara, Tom & Will)
Pluribus (Dan)
Severance
Task
BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Sterling K. Brown – Paradise
Diego Luna – Andor
Mark Ruffalo – Task
Adam Scott – Severance
Billy Bob Thornton – Landman
Noah Wyle – The Pitt (ALL)
BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Kathy Bates – Matlock (Alyssa)
Carrie Coon – The Gilded Age
Britt Lower – Severance (Nadia & Will)
Bella Ramsey – The Last of Us
Keri Russell – The Diplomat
Rhea Seehorn – Pluribus (Cody, Dan, Ema, Josh, Matt, Sara & Tom)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Patrick Ball – The Pitt
Billy Crudup – The Morning Show
Ato Essandoh – The Diplomat
Wood Harris – Forever
Tom Pelphrey – Task
Tramell Tillman – Severance (ALL)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Nicole Beharie – The Morning Show
Denée Benton – The Gilded Age
Allison Janney – The Diplomat
Katherine LaNasa – The Pitt (ALL)
Greta Lee – The Morning Show
Skye P. Marshall – Matlock
BEST COMEDY SERIES
Abbott Elementary
Elsbeth
Ghosts
Hacks
Nobody Wants This
Only Murders in the Building
The Righteous Gemstones
The Studio (ALL)
BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Adam Brody – Nobody Wants This
Ted Danson – A Man on the Inside
David Alan Grier – St. Denis Medical
Danny McBride – The Righteous Gemstones
Seth Rogen – The Studio (ALL)
Alexander Skarsgård – Murderbot
BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Kristen Bell – Nobody Wants This
Natasha Lyonne – Poker Face
Rose McIver – Ghosts
Edi Patterson – The Righteous Gemstones
Carrie Preston – Elsbeth
Jean Smart – Hacks (ALL)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Ike Barinholtz – The Studio (ALL)
Paul W. Downs – Hacks
Asher Grodman – Ghosts
Oscar Nuñez – The Paper
Chris Perfetti – Abbott Elementary
Timothy Simons – Nobody Wants This
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Danielle Brooks – Peacemaker
Hannah Einbinder – Hacks (ALL)
Janelle James – Abbott Elementary
Justine Lupe – Nobody Wants This
Ego Nwodim – Saturday Night Live
Rebecca Wisocky – Ghosts
BEST LIMITED SERIES
Adolescence (ALL)
All Her Fault
Chief of War
Death by Lightning
Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy
Dope Thief
Dying for Sex
The Girlfriend
BEST MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy (Alyssa, Cody, Dan, Ema, Josh, Matt, Nadia, Tom & Will)
Deep Cover (Sara)
The Gorge
Mountainhead
Nonnas
Summer of ’69
BEST ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Michael Chernus – Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy
Stephen Graham – Adolescence (Alyssa, Cody, Ema, Josh, Matt, Nadia, Sara, Tom & Will)
Brian Tyree Henry – Dope Thief
Charlie Hunnam – Monster: The Ed Gein Story (Dan)
Matthew Rhys – The Beast in Me
Michael Shannon – Death by Lightning
BEST ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Jessica Biel – The Better Sister
Meghann Fahy – Sirens (Nadia)
Sarah Snook – All Her Fault (Sara)
Michelle Williams – Dying for Sex (Alyssa, Dan, Ema, Josh, Matt, Tom & Will)
Robin Wright – The Girlfriend
Renée Zellweger – Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy (Cody)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Owen Cooper – Adolescence (ALL)
Wagner Moura – Dope Thief
Nick Offerman – Death by Lightning
Michael Peña – All Her Fault
Ashley Walters – Adolescence
Ramy Youssef – Mountainhead
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Erin Doherty – Adolescence (ALL)
Betty Gilpin – Death by Lightning
Marin Ireland – Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy
Sophia Lillis – All Her Fault
Julianne Moore – Sirens
Christine Tremarco – Adolescence
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE SERIES
Acapulco (Alyssa)
Last Samurai Standing (Nadia)
Mussolini: Son of the Century (Cody, Matt & Will)
Red Alert
Squid Game (Dan, Ema, Josh, Sara & Tom)
When No One Sees Us
BEST ANIMATED SERIES
Bob’s Burgers (Alyssa & Will)
Harley Quinn (Cody)
Long Story Short (Nadia)
Marvel Zombies
South Park (Dan, Ema, Josh, Matt & Tom)
Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (Sara)
BEST TALK SHOW
The Daily Show
Hot Ones
Jimmy Kimmel Live! (Will)
Late Night with Seth Meyers
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (Alyssa, Cody, Dan, Ema, Josh, Matt, Nadia, Sara & Tom)
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
BEST VARIETY SERIES
Conan O’Brien Must Go
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (Alyssa, Cody, Dan, Ema, Josh, Matt, Nadia, Sara & Tom)
Saturday Night Live (Will)
BEST COMEDY SPECIAL
Brett Goldstein: The Second Best Night of Your Life (Nadia)
Caleb Hearon: Model Comedian
Leanne Morgan: Unspeakable Things
Marc Maron: Panicked (Cody)
Sarah Silverman: PostMortem
SNL50: The Anniversary Special (Alyssa, Dan, Ema, Josh, Matt, Sara, Tom & Will)
What do you think of our predictions? What are you predicting to win? Please let us know your thoughts on our X account. Click here for more important upcoming dates this awards season and here for the most recent tally of awards season winners for the current year.
