A Complete History of Every Oscar Nominated or Winning Horror Film – Soundsphere magazine

Despite being one of the longest-standing, most diverse, and most creative multi-meaning film or storytelling genres,horror filmmaking has been consistently overlooked and undervalued in terms of cultural or artistic quality in the eyes of the Academy.

Horror fans have consistently taken to social media and film blogs to express their vexation at the Oscars for repeatedly undermining objectively brilliant film elements or examples simply because they were delivered within the horror genre. This most notably happens in the form of performances, with artists such as Toni Collette’s stellar and emotionally devastating efforts in Ari Aster’s Hereditary (2018) and Lupita Nyong’o’s incredible dual work in Jordan Peele’s Us (2019) being snubbed at the 91st and 92nd ceremonies, respectively.

Contemporary horror star Mia Goth, known for her central work in Tai West’s horror trilogy consisting of 2022’s X, 2023’s Pearl and 2024’s Maxxxine in which she played both Maxine and an older Pearl in the first, followed by a younger Pearl in the 2023 prequel and then back to Maxine for the final film, has expressed her own sentiments on why the Academy ignores horror’s efforts in artistry and storytelling.

In 2023, Goth was asked her stance on the matter during an interview with Jake’s Takes, in which she answered: “I think that it’s very political. It’s not entirely based on the quality of a project, per se. There’s a lot going on there and a lot of cooks in the kitchen when it comes to nominations. Maybe I shouldn’t say that, but I think that’s true. I think a lot of people know that.”

The star then stressed “a change is necessary”, explaining that “a shift should take place if they wanted to engage with the wider public. I think it would be of benefit, really, [to nominate horror movies].”

Soon enough, that shift finally came about. This year’s Oscar run saw the horror genre finally acknowledged and celebrated for its artistic, cultural and social power, with features from the previous year receiving nods and wins in categories from directing to writing, to costume design, to performances.

This year even saw a horror film make Oscar history, an accolade that went to the well-deserving Western-horror-drama Sinners by filmmaker Ryan Coogler, a film that merged traditional horror elements with historically poignant factors such as racial segregation and Black resilience.

When discussing Coogler’s film’s cultural impact on the Oscars and horror in a piece titled The Oscars Have Finally Embraced Horror, Empire’s Ben Travis writes: “The big news is, of course, Sinners’ record-breaking number of nominations. Ryan Coogler’s film is up for a mammoth 16 awards at the Oscars this year. And it is, in its very bones, a vampire movie, a siege film too, so steeped in genre tropes that it was released as a mega IMAX blockbuster last April, way outside the usual awards window.”

He adds: “And it is undeniably outstanding, tense and tender and full of surprises, blending its bloodthirsty tropes with explorations of racial tensions, artistic expression, cultural appropriation and colonisation, superbly directed by Coogler, performed immaculately by its cast.”

Such sentiments prove that a horror film is just as capable of presenting a moving story rich in intellectual and emotional thematic frameworks, while delivering hard and consistently on its entertaining genre conventions of scares and blood, earning appropriate accolades.

So what exactly was the long journey to bring the horror genre to such recognition and success at the Academy Awards? To summarise, 47 horror films have been nominated at the Oscars, while 26 of them have won the awards among the 20 categories in the award ceremony’s 97-year history.

And here is the full list of every horror film to receive an Oscar nomination:

NOTE: From 1936 to 1966, the Academy separated colour and black-and-white films into two distinct Best Cinematography awards. The divided categories were then merged in 1967 following the undeniable dominance of colour. Sound awards were presented in two separate categories (Best Sound Mixing and Best Sound Effects) in the periods of 1963-1967 and 1982-2019

Best Picture Nominations

• The Exorcist (Willem Friedkin, 1973)
• Jaws (Steven Spielberg, 1975)
• The Silence of the Lambs (Jonathon Demme, 1991) WON
• The Sixth Sense (M.Night Shyamalan, 1999)
• Black Swan (Darren Aronofsky, 2010)
• Get Out (Jordan Peele, 2017)
• The Substance (Coralie Fargeat, 2024)
• Frankenstein (Guillermo del Toro, 2025)
• Sinners (Ryan Coogler, 2025)

Behind the scenes of The Exorcist (William Friedkin, 1973)
Image obtained from Reddit

Best Director Nominations

• Alfred Hitchcock (Psycho, 1960)
• William Friedkin (The Exorcist, 1973)
• Steven Spielberg (Jaws, 1975)
• Jonathan Demme (The Silence of the Lambs, 1991) WON
• Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan, 2010)
• Jordan Peele (Get Out, 2017)
• Coralie Fargeat (The Substance, 2024)
• Ryan Coogler (Sinners, 2025)
• Guillermo del Toro (Frankenstein, 2025)

Best Original Screenplay

• The Sixth Sense (M.Night Shyamalan, 1999)
• Get Out (Jordan Peele, 2017) WON
• The Substance (Coralie Fargeat, 2024)
• Sinners (Ryan Coogler, 2025) WON

Get out-Jordan Peele

Best Adapted Screenplay Nominations

• Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (d-Rouben Mamoulian, sw-Percy Heath and Samuel Hoffenstein, 1931), based on Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1818 book
• Rosemary’s Baby (d & sw-Roman Polanski, 1968), based on Ira Levinson’s 1961 book
• The Exorcist (d-William Friedkin, sw- William Peter Blatty, 1973), based on William Peter Blatty’s 1971 book WON
• The Silence of the Lambs (d- Jonathon Demme, sw-Ted Tally, 1991), based on Thomas Harris’ 1988 book WON
• Frankenstein (d & sw- Guillermo del Toro, 2025), based on Mary Shelley’s 1818 book

Best Leading Actor

• Fredrick March as Dr Henry Jekyll/Mr. Edward Hyde in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (Rouben Momoulian, 1931) WON
• Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs (Jonathon Demme, 1991) WON
• Johnny Depp as Benjamin Barker/Sweeney Todd in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Tim Burton, 2007)
• Daniel Kaluyya as Chris Washington in Get Out (Jordan Peele, 2017)
• Michael B. Jordan as Elijah ‘Smoke’ Moore and Elias ‘Stack’ Moore in Sinners (Ryan Coogler, 2025) WON

Best Supporting Actor

• Victor Buono as Edwin Flagg in What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (Robert Aldrich, 1961)
• Jason Miller as Father/Dr. Damien Karras in The Exorcist (William Friedkin, 1972)
• Haley Joel Osment as Cole Sear in The Sixth Sense (M. Night Shyamalan, 1999)
• Willem Dafoe as Max Schreck in Shadow of the Vampire (E. Elias Merhige, 2000)
• Delroy Lindo as Delta Slim in Sinners (Ryan Coogler, 2025)
• Jacob Elordi as The Creature in Frankenstein (Guillermo del Toro, 2025)

Jacob Elordi in Frankenstein

Best Leading Actress

• Nancy Kelly as Christine Penmark in The Bad Seed (Mervyn Leroy, 1956)
• Bette Davis as Jane Hudson in Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? (Robert Aldrich, 1961)
• Audrey Hepburn as Susy Hendrix in Wait Until Dark (Terence Young, 1967)
• Ellen Burstyn as Chris MacNeil in The Exorcist (William Friedkin, 1973)
• Sissy Spacek as Carrie White in Carrie (Brian De Palma, 1976)
• Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley in Aliens (James Cameron, 1986)
• Kathy Bates as Annie Wilkes in Misery (Rob Reiner, 1990) WON
• Jodie Foster as Clarence Sterling in The Silence of the Lambs (Jonathan Demme, 1991) WON
• Natalie Portman as Nina Sawyers in Black Swan (Darren Aronofsky, 2010)
• Demi Moore as Elisabeth Sparkle in The Substance (Coralie Fargeat, 2024)

Kathy Bates in Misery

Best Supporting Actress

• Angela Lansbury as Sibyl Vane in The Picture of Dorian Grey (Albert Lewin, 1945)
• Janet Leigh as Marion Crane in Psycho (Alfred Hitchcock,1960)
• Ruth Gordon as Minnie Castevet in Rosemary’s Baby (Roman Polanski, 1961) WON
• Eileen Heckart as Hortense Daigle in The Bad Seed (Mervyn LeRoy, 1967)
• Linda Blair as Regan MacNeil in The Exorcist (William Friedkin, 1973)
• Piper Laurie as Margaret White in Carrie (Brian De Palma, 1976)
• Toni Collette as Lynn Sear in The Sixth Sense (M. Night Shyamalan,1999)
• Wunmi Mosaku as Annie in Sinners (Ryan Coogler, 2025)
• Amy Madigan as Gladys in Weapons (Zach Cregger, 2025) WON

Best Cinematography

• Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1931 version) (Karl Struss)
• Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1941 version) for black and white (Joseph Ruttenberg)
• Phantom of the Opera (1943 version) for colour (Hahl Mohr and W. Howard Greene) WON
• Dorian Grey (1945) for black and white (Harry Straddling) WON
• The Bad Seed for black and white(Harold Rossen)
• Psycho for black and white (John L. Russell)
• What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? for black and white (Ernest Haller)
• The Exorcist (Owen Roizman)
• Black Swan (Matthew Libatique)
• The Lighthouse (Jarin Blaschke)
• Sleepy Hollow (Emmanuel Lubezki)
• Nosferatu (2024 version) (Jarin Blaschke)
• Sinners (Autumn Durald) WON
• Frankenstein (2025 version) (Dan Lausten)

Sinners-Ryan Coogler

Best Casting

• Sinners (Francine Maisler)

Art Direction

• Phantom of the Opera (1943 version) for colour (Alexander Golitzen and John B. Goodman) WON
• The Picture of Dorian Grey (1945 version) (Cedric Gibbons and Hans Peters)
• Psycho (Robert Clatworthy and Joseph Hurley)
• Alien (H.R Giger)
• Aliens (H.R Giger)
• Bram Stoker’s Dracula (Eiko Ishokia)
• Interview with the Vampire (Malcolm Middleton)
• Sleepy Hollow (Rich Heinricks and Leslie Tomkins) WON
• Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Gary Freeman and David Warren)

Best Production Design

• The Exorcist (Bill Malley)
• Nosferatu (2024 version) (Craig Lathrop)
• Frankenstein (2025 version) (Tamara Deverell and Shane Vieau) WON
• Sinners (Hannah Beachler)

Best Editing

• Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1941 version) (Harold F. Kress)
• The Exorcist (Jordan Leondopoulos, Bud S. Smith, Evan A. Lottman, and Norman Gay)
• The Silence of the Lambs (Craig McKay)
• The Sixth Sense (Andrew Mondshein)
• Aliens (Ray Lovejoy) WON
• Jaws (Verna Fields)
• Black Swan (Andrew Weisblum)
• Sinners (Michael P. Shawver)

Best Original Score

• Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1941 version) (Franz Waxman)
• Phantom of the Opera (1943 version) (Edward Ward)
• The Omen (Jerry Goldsmith) WON
• The Amityville Horror (Lalo Schifrin)
• Jaws (John Williams)
• Altered States (John Corigliano)
• Poltergeist (Jerry Goldsmith)
• Aliens (Jerry Goldsmith)
• Interview with the Vampire (Elliot Goldenthal)
• The Substance (Raffertie)
• Sinners (Ludwig Göransson) WON
• Frankenstein (2025 version) (Alexandre Desplat)

Best Original Song

• The Omen (Ave Santi by Jerry Goldsmith)
• Sinners (I Lied to You by Miles Carton)

Best Costume Design

• What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? for black and white (Norma Koch) WON
• Bram Stoker’s Dracula (Eiko Ishokia) WON
• Sleepy Hollow (Colleen Atwood)
• Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Colleen Atwood)
• Nosferatu (2024 version) (Linda Muir)
• Sinners (Ruth E. Carter)
• Frankenstein (Kate Hawley) WON

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

• An American Werewolf in London (Rock Baker) WON
• The Fly (Chris Walas and Stephan Dupuis) WON
• Beetlejuice (Christine Blundell)
• Bram Stoker’s Dracula (Greg Cannom, Michèle Burke, and Matthew Mungle) WON
• Frankenstein (1994 version) (Daniel Parker)
• The Cell (Michèle Burke and the Kurtzman, Nicotero & Berger EFX Group)
• Shadow of the Vampire (Pauline Fowler)
• The Wolfman (Rick Baker and Dave Elsey) WON
• Nosferatu (2024 version) (Tracy Loader, David White, and Suzanne Stokes-Munton)
• The Substance (Pierre-Olivier Persin, Stéphanie Guillon, and Marilyne Scarselli)
• The Ugly Stepsister (Anne Cathrine Sauerberg and prosthetic designer Thomas Foldberg)
• Sinners (Mike Fontaine)
• Frankenstein (2025 version) (Mike Hill) WON

Best Sound

• Phantom of the Opera (1943 version) (Bernard B Brown and Joe Lapis)
• Whatever happened to Baby Jane? (Harold E. McGhan and Jack Solomon)
• The Exorcist (editing) (Fred Brown and Ross Taylor, Randle Akerson, Andrew Bock, Jean-Louis Ducarme, Robert Knudson and Chris Newman) WON
• Jaws (John R Carter) WON
• Altered States (Arthur Piantadosi, Les Fresholtz, Michael Minkler, Willie D. Burton, Michael Colgan and Stephen Katz)
• Poltergeist (editing) (Stephen Hunter Flick, Richard L. Anderson, Alan Howarth, Bonnie Koehler, Warren Hamilton, Jr, John Roesch & Joan Rowe)
• Aliens (nominated for both sound and sound editing, won for editing) (Don Sharpe for editing and Don Sharpe, Roy Charman and Rocky Phelan for sound) WON
• The Silence of the Lambs (Chris Newman and Ron Bochar)
• Bram Stoker’s Dracula (editing) (Tom McCarthy and David E. Stone) WON
• The Mummy (1999 version) (Leslie Shatz)
• A Quiet Place (editing) (Ethan Van der Ryn and Erik Aadahl)
• Sinners (Steve Boedekker)
• Frankenstein (2025 version) (Nathan Robitaille, Nelson Ferreira, Brad Zoern, Greg Chapman, Christian Cooke and Goro Koyama)

Best Visual Effects

• Alien (Carlo Rambaldi, Stan Winston and Roger Dicken) WON
• Poltergeist (Richard Edlund)
• Aliens (Stan Winston) WON
• Poltergeist II (H.R Gieger)
• Prometheus (achievement in visual effects) (Richard Stammers)
• Alien: Romulus (Eric Barba, Alec Gillis, Shane Mahan, Daniel Macarin, Annemarie Griggs and Nelson Sepulveda-Fauser)
• Sinners (Michael Ralla and James Alexander)

Best Foreign Film

• Kwaidan (Masaki Kobayashi, 1961)