Golden Globes 2026: 'One Battle After Another' for Films and 'The White Lotus' for TV Lead the Nominations

The race for Golden Globe glory is officially underway following the unveiling of the 2026 nominations on 8 December, with two standout contenders at the forefront.

In the film category, One Battle After Another dominated the field with a whopping nine nominations, the most of any movie this year.

The blockbuster picked up major nods including Best Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Actress, alongside coveted supporting and screenplay mentions.

Television has its own clear frontrunner, with The White Lotus leading the charge after scooping six nominations, more than any other series, cementing its status as one of the most talked-about shows of the year.

All attention will be on the winners when the 83rd Golden Globe Awards take place on Sunday, 11 January 2026, at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California. The star-studded ceremony will air live on CBS and stream on Paramount+ from 8.00 PM ET / 5.00 PM PT.

One Battle After Another

One Battle After Another is a daring film that blends genres, combining elements of action thriller and dark comedy. Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, it features a star-studded cast led by Leonardo DiCaprio. Supporting him are Teyana Taylor, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall and Chase Infiniti.

The story centres on Bob, a former revolutionary living off‑grid with his teenage daughter Willa. When a past nemesis reappears and Willa goes missing, Bob is forced back into a dangerous world of political conflict and personal confrontation.

The film combines thrilling action sequences with profound themes of family, loyalty, and resistance. It's less about glorifying conflict, more about exploring the emotional and moral entanglements that war and revolution leave behind.

Critical response to the film has been overwhelmingly positive. On Rotten Tomatoes, it maintains a Certified Fresh score with 94% rate on the Tomatometer across hundreds of reviews.

On Metacritic, the film likewise soared with 95/100 Metascore from critics, making it one of the highest‑rated films of 2025. According to RogerEbert.com, 'It's a live wire that drops in the first scene, setting off sparks for the next 162 minutes.'

Overall, One Battle After Another is shaping up not only as a front‑runner for this awards season, but as a film that may well endure as a modern classic—provocative, visceral, and emotionally powerful.

The White Lotus

The White Lotus is a comedy‑drama anthology series created by Mike White. Throughout its seasons, it follows the lives of various guests and staff at luxury resorts and their week in paradise that becomes a simmering social crucible, in which privilege, insecurity, desire and moral ambiguity are exposed. The show is known for its sharp social satire and its bold approach to scrutinising human flaws hidden behind a facade of wealth and leisure.

Each season features a rotating ensemble cast. Previously, it included Emmy‑winning performances by Jennifer Coolidge, Murray Bartlett and others. The most recent season (Season 3) brings in new faces and familiar ones in new roles, as lives intersect in a resort in Thailand.

Critically, the show has consistently earned high marks. The first season holds a 90% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with a Metacritic score of 82/100. Season 2 improved further, earning a 94% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an 81 on Metacritic. Season 3 carries a Tomatometer of 86% and a Metacritic score around 77/100.

Notable critics have praised the series for its mixture of dark humour, social critique, and moral complexity. According to IndieWire, the 3rd season 'smashes each character's flimsy values in ways both hilarious and harrowing.'

The White Lotus remains one of television's most provocative and widely discussed series that offers an uncomfortable but compelling mirror for societal excess, class, and human frailty.

Other Films and Series Also in the Spotlight

While One Battle After Another and The White Lotus lead in nominations, a strong supporting cast of contenders has emerged across both film and television categories.

On the film side, titles such as Sentimental Value and Sinners amassed multiple nods, covering acting, directing and screenplay distinctions. In television, series including Severance, The Bear and Only Murders in the Building also received notable attention, underscoring a diverse field beyond the frontrunners.

The inclusion of animated films, international productions and even podcasts among nominees signals that this year's Golden Globes are casting a wider net that perhaps reflecting shifting audience tastes and the evolving media landscape.