Wicked Sequel Gets Zero Oscar Nods After First Film's Success
The musical sequel faced a stunning awards blackout despite high expectations and new original songs created specifically for Oscar consideration.
The musical sequel suffered a complete awards blackout this year, marking a dramatic reversal from its predecessor's remarkable showing. While the original film earned recognition across 10 categories last year, the follow-up failed to secure even a single nomination.
Industry watchers had predicted Ariana Grande would receive recognition for her performance as Glinda. Those expectations proved wrong when the 2026 nominations were announced. The film's two new compositions, written specifically for the Broadway adaptation and widely assumed to be Oscar bait, were completely ignored by voters.
Original Songs Miss the Mark
The Best Original Song category instead recognized tracks from Kpop Demon Hunters, Sinners, Train Dreams, Diane Warren: Relentless, and Viva Verdi. The sequel's new musical numbers, absent from the stage version, failed to impress Academy members despite their apparent awards-season positioning.
Last year's film dominated multiple categories including Best Picture, Best Actress for Cynthia Erivo, and Best Supporting Actress for Grande. The production also earned nominations for Costume Design, Film Editing, Makeup and Hairstyling, Production Design, Original Score, Sound, and Visual Effects. It ultimately won for Costume Design and Production Design.
Other Notable Snubs
The sequel wasn't alone in facing disappointment. Chase Infiniti from One Battle After Another missed Best Actress consideration for her role as Leonardo DiCaprio's teenage daughter. Park Chan-wook's acclaimed black comedy No Other Choice was absent from Best International Feature.
Paul Mescal's portrayal of William Shakespeare in Hamnet went unrecognized in Best Actor, despite the film's eight other nominations. Delroy Lindo from Sinners provided a surprise addition to that category instead.
The 2026 ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, March 15. The dramatic shift from the first film's success to the sequel's complete shutout represents one of the year's biggest awards surprises.