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Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another” script, adapted from Thomas Pynchon’s novel “Vineland,” is yet another BuzzMeter consensus pick and expected to be one of three trophies for Anderson on Oscar night. Anne Thompson points out one of the many wins the screenplay has already collected is the “predictive USC Scripter Award.”
“Similar to the original screenplay category, this one is a lock,” says Dave Karger. “Adapting Pynchon is no easy feat,” writes Robert Daniels. “Yet Anderson incisively renders the author’s knotty themes and timely politics into an American epic that eloquently speaks to the harsh realities of now.”
“Come for Paul Thomas Anderson winning an Oscar, stay for the shoutout to Thomas Pynchon,” quips Glenn Whipp.
Katie Walsh notes that, while Anderson’s and Ryan Coogler’s movies will go head-to-head much of the night, “At least they aren’t in competition here” as “Sinners” is in the original screenplay category.
Follow along throughout the season as our expert panel predicts the nominees and then the winners of the 2026 Oscars.
1. “One Battle After Another”
2. “Hamnet”
3. “Frankenstein”
4. “Train Dreams”
5. “Bugonia”
RogerEbert.com
Robert Daniels
1. “One Battle After Another”
2. “Hamnet”
3. “Bugonia”
4. “Frankenstein”
5. “Train Dreams”
“After going 0-for-his-first-11 nominations, it’s going to be a weird feeling for Anderson when he goes 3-for-3 on Oscar night. Adapting Pynchon is no easy feat. Yet Anderson incisively renders the author’s knotty themes and timely politics into an American epic that eloquently speaks to the harsh realities of now.”
Turner Classic Movies
Dave Karger
1. “One Battle After Another”
2. “Frankenstein”
3. “Hamnet”
4. “Train Dreams”
5. “Bugonia”
“Similar to the original screenplay category, this one is a lock. Paul Thomas Anderson looks poised to take home three statuettes, but even in the case of a ‘Sinners’ sweep in best picture and director, he’d be a lock for his first-ever Oscar here.”
Los Angeles Times
Amy Nicholson
1. “One Battle After Another”
2. “Frankenstein”
3. “Hamnet”
4. “Train Dreams”
5. “Bugonia”
“Guillermo del Toro’s technophobic tweaks to Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel couldn’t be more timely, but nothing is braver than Paul Thomas Anderson absorbing — and scrapping most of — Thomas Pynchon’s neutron-dense epic, ‘Vineland.’ ”
IndieWire
Anne Thompson
1. “One Battle After Another”
2. “Hamnet”
3. “Train Dreams”
4. “Frankenstein”
5. “Bugonia”
“Chloé Zhao’s tragic ‘Hamnet’ and Paul Thomas Anderson’s ‘One Battle After Another’ (which won the predictive USC Scripter Award) will duke it out, followed by Clint Bentley’s ‘Train Dreams,’ an extraordinary depiction of the tragedy-filled life of an ordinary man (Joel Edgerton).”
Tribune News Service
Katie Walsh
1. “One Battle After Another”
2. “Hamnet”
3. “Train Dreams”
4. “Frankenstein”
5. “Bugonia”
“PTA and Ryan Coogler will likely be trading off trips to the Oscars stage all night, and ‘One Battle’ is likely to take the adapted screenplay prize. At least they aren’t in competition here.”
Los Angeles Times
Glenn Whipp
1. “One Battle After Another”
2. “Hamnet”
3. “Bugonia”
4. “Train Dreams”
5. “Frankenstein”
“Come for Paul Thomas Anderson winning an Oscar, stay for the shoutout to Thomas Pynchon.”
