BAFTA 2026: Leonardo DiCaprio’s ‘One Battle After Another’ tops longlist with record 16 mentions

Los Angeles: Leonardo DiCaprio’s political satire One Battle After Another has emerged as the front-runner in the race for the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards, leading the longlist with a record-breaking 16 mentions. The film topped the first round of voting across 25 categories, making it the most longlisted title since BAFTA introduced the longlist stage in 2021.

Announced by BAFTA on January 9, the film’s strong showing includes nods in major categories such as Best Film, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay. It also dominated the performance categories, with DiCaprio, Chase Infiniti, Teyana Taylor, Benicio Del Toro and Sean Penn all featuring prominently on the acting longlists.

The achievement surpasses previous records, including Emilia Perez with 15 mentions in 2025, and strong performers such as All Quiet on the Western Front in 2023, along with Oppenheimer, Barbie and Killers of the Flower Moon in 2024.

Close behind are Chloe Zhao’s Hamnet and Ryan Coogler’s Sinners, each earning 14 mentions. Both films secured spots in Best Film, Best Director and acting categories, underlining their strong critical reception. Josh Safdie’s Marty Supreme follows with 13 mentions, while Bugonia and Frankenstein received 12 each. Sentimental Value and Wicked: For Good rounded off the top contenders with eight mentions apiece.

British cinema also made a notable impact, with I Swear and Pillion landing on six longlists each, and The Ballad of Wallis Island securing five mentions. Other films to watch include 28 Years Later, Die My Love, FI and A House of Dynamite.

With the first round of voting now complete, the second phase will determine the official nominations. Voting opened on January 9 and will close on January 20, 2026, with the final nominations set to be announced on January 27.

The 2026 BAFTA Film Awards will be held on February 22, 2026.