Your official Oscars streaming guide: how to watch, streaming deals, and more
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It's been another stellar year for cinema, and now it's time to award the films that shone brightest. The 98th Oscars are upon us. On March 15, the Academy will honor the best movies of 2025 on Hollywood's biggest night. Conan O’Brien is set to host the ceremony once again, and many of your favorite winners from years past will present the biggest awards of the night.
We're hoping some of our favorites receive the awards they deserve — One Battler After Another, Sinners, Hamnet, and more — but it's anyone's game. Want to see who takes home the titles of Best Actress, Best Director, Best Picture, and beyond? Here are all the details you need to know to watch the 2026 Academy Awards live with or without cable.
When are the 2026 Oscars?
The 98th Academy Awards will be held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday, March 15, 2026, and will air live at 7 p.m. ET on ABC and Hulu, with the pre-show airing at 6:30 p.m. ET.
Who are this year's Oscar nominees?
Sinners leads this year's Oscars with a record-breaking 16 nominations. Basically, every award it could be nominated for, it is. One Battle After Another follows close behind with 13, while Marty Supreme earned nine, and Hamnet nabbed seven nominations.
Each year, there are just as many snubs as there are surprises, and 2026 is no different. For instance, we were a bit flabbergasted that Wicked: For Good came up totally empty with zero nominations. Our favorite sad boy, Paul Mescal, newcomer Chase Infiniti, and Jesse Plemons were also ignored by the Academy.
See a full list of the 2026 Oscar nominations below in the FAQ section of this story.
Live from Oscars 2026 tonight: Mashable’s covering all things Oscars 2026, from Academy Awards live updates to red carpet style and the wildest moments from the show. Check back at Mashable.com through the night for winners announcements and more.
How to watch the Oscars live without cable in 2026
For those with cable or over-the-air TV, you can tune your TV to your local ABC station or watch online via ABC.com or the ABC app by logging in through your pay TV service provider. No cable access? No worries: For the second year in a row, the awards will stream simultaneously on Hulu for subscribers.
You also have the option of signing up for a live TV cable replacement service to catch the Oscars live. These services essentially act just like cable, giving you live access to a well-rounded channel selection via your internet connection (rather than a cable connection). They're contract-free and often offer trials to test them out. That means you could very well watch the Oscars for free, then cancel before being charged. But we'll leave the details up to you. Here are the best options (and deals) to watch.
Hulu streaming deals
Hulu is one of the most generous (if not the most generous) streamers, offering new and eligible returning subscribers a free 30-day trial. That means you can easily sign up and watch the Oscars for free during that time period. If you don't qualify for the free trial, we've also rounded up a few ways to save some money on your subscription.
Limited-time bundle deal: Save $8/month on three months of Hulu and Disney+
Through March 24, new subscribers can get both Hulu and Disney+ with ads for only $4.99 per month for three months. Typically $12.99 per month for the bundle, you'll save $24 total on a three-month subscription. Only new and returning subscribers can score the deal; current Disney+, ESPN, Hulu, and bundle subscribers are not eligible.
Best Hulu deal for most people: Save 16% on a Hulu (with ads) annual subscription
The best way to cut the cost of a Hulu subscription on any given day is to sign up for an annual plan with ads. You'll have to endure a few interruptions to your content and pay upfront, but it'll save you 16 percent, or just shy of $24, over the course of a year. A yearly subscription costs $119.99 (or $9.99 per month), while an $11.99 monthly plan would add up to $143.88 over a year. If you want to cut ties with ads, the price jumps to $18.99 per month, and there's no annual offer available at this time.
Best for students: Save $10/month with Hulu Student
Students can sign up for Hulu for only $1.99 per month and stream the Oscars live. That's more than 80 percent off the usual cost of a Hulu with ads plan. The only requirement is that you can verify your college email address using SheerID.
Best for T-Mobile users: Hulu (with ads) included for select customers
Aside from a 30-day free trial, the only other way to get Hulu for free in 2026 is by switching your phone plan to T-Mobile's Experience Beyond plan. Customers on this plan can enjoy Hulu with ads for free, as well as Netflix and Apple TV.
Already on the Experience Beyond plan? Download or open the T-Life app, select Manage > See plans > Manage add-ons, then scroll to the Hulu streaming benefit and click "Continue." Follow the prompts to link an existing account or create a new one.
Live TV streaming deals
If you prefer a cable alternative that gives you access to your local ABC station and hundreds of other live channels, we recommend a few options. And many of them offer free trials and introductory pricing. Here are a couple of options.
Best introductory offer: YouTube TV
YouTube TV's base plan includes over 100 live channels, including your local ABC network. You'll also get unlimited DVR space, three simultaneous streams, and up to six individual accounts with personalized recommendations. For a limited time, you can get a 21-day trial to test the waters, which means you can watch the Oscars for free. Then, your first two months will cost just $59.99 per month instead of the usual $82.99 per month.
Most affordable overall: Sling TV Select package (for select areas)
Sling's a la carte setup and affordable pricing make it a huge competitor in the live TV streaming market. You can pick your package and channels depending on what you actually want to watch. You'll need access to ABC to watch the Oscars live, which is included in Sling's Select package for only $19.99 per month. Unfortunately, since ABC is a local network, it's only available in some local markets. Check whether your local market includes ABC before you pull the trigger — Chicago, Fresno, Houston, Los Angeles, and more are included.
Honorable mention: FuboTV
FuboTV offers a 5-day free trial for newbies, letting you watch the Oscars on your local ABC station. You'll get access to over 200 other networks, as well as unlimited cloud DVR, and the ability to watch on up to 10 different screens. After your trial, the cost for your first month is $48.99 ($73.99 per month thereafter).
Topics Film Oscars Streaming Watch Guides How to Watch
Frequently Asked Questions
Want to get up to date on the best films of the year by the Academy's standards ahead of the ceremony? As usual, you're going to need a lot of streaming services. Bugonia and Hamnet are both streaming on Peacock. One Battle After Another and Sinners are available to watch on HBO Max. Both Frankenstein and Train Dreams are streaming on Netflix, while F1 is exclusively streaming on Apple TV and The Secret Agent is on Hulu. Sentimental Value and Marty Supreme are currently only available to rent or purchase on digital, although the former is set to make its Hulu debut on March 23.
Learn more in our guide of the best ways to watch all 10.
On Feb. 19, the Academy revealed the first group of presenters for the 2026 Academy Awards, which includes last year's winners Mikey Madison, Kieran Culkin, Adrien Brody, and Zoe Saldaña. More presenters have been announced in the weeks leading up to the show. Conan O'Brien will serve as the host for this year’s ceremony.
Here's the full list of presenters so far (in no particular order):
Mikey Madison
Kieran Culkin
Adrien Brody
Zoe Saldaña
Javier Bardem
Demi Moore
Kumail Nanjiani
Maya Rudolph
Chris Evans
Chase Infiniti
Here is the full list of the 2026 Academy Award nominations:
Best Picture
Bugonia
F1
Frankenstein
Hamnet
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another
The Secret Agent
Sentimental Value
Sinners
Train Dreams
Best Director
Chloé Zhao — Hamnet
Josh Safdie — Marty Supreme
Paul Thomas Anderson — One Battle After Another
Joachim Trier — Sentimental Value
Ryan Coogler — Sinners
Best Lead Actor
Timothée Chalamet — Marty Supreme
Leonardo DiCaprio — One Battle After Another
Ethan Hawke — Blue Moon
Michael B. Jordan — Sinners
Wagner Moura — The Secret Agent
Best Lead Actress
Jessie Buckley — Hamnet
Rose Byrne — If I Had Legs I'd Kick You
Kate Hudson — Song Sung Blue
Renate Reinsve — Sentimental Value
Emma Stone — Bugonia
Best Supporting Actor
Benicio Del Toro — One Battle After Another
Jacob Elordi — Frankenstein
Delroy Lindo — Sinners
Sean Penn — One Battle After Another
Stellan Skarsgård — Sentimental Value
Best Supporting Actress
Elle Fanning — Sentimental Value
Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas — Sentimental Value
Amy Madigan — Weapons
Wunmi Mosaku— Sinners
Teyana Taylor — One Battle After Another
Best Adapted Screenplay
Will Tracy — Bugonia
Guillermo del Toro — Frankenstein
Chloé Zhao and Maggie O'Farrell — Hamnet
Paul Thomas Anderson — One Battle After Another
Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar — Train Dreams
Best Original Screenplay
Robert Kaplow— Blue Moon
Jafar Panahi — It Was Just an Accident
Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie — Marty Supreme
Eskil Vogt and Joachim Trier — Sentimental Value
Ryan Coogler — Sinners
Best Cinematography
Frankenstein
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another
Sinners
Train Dreams
Best Live Action Short Film
"Butchers Stain"
"A Friend of Dorothy"
"Jane Austen's Period Drama"
"The Singers"
"Two People Exchanging Saliva"
Best Animated Feature Film
Arco
Elio
KPop Demon Hunters
Little Amélie or the Character of Rain
Zootopia 2
Best Animated Short Film
"Butterfly"
"Forevergreen"
"The Girl Who Cried Pearls"
"Retirement Plan"
"The Three Sisters"
Best Costume Design
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Frankenstein
Hamnet
Marty Supreme
Sinners
Best Original Score
Bugonia
Frankenstein
Hamnet
One Battle After Another
Sinners
Best Casting
Hamnet
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another
The Secret Agent
Sinners
Best Sound
F1
Frankenstein
One Battle After Another
Sinners
Sirāt
Best Original Song
"Dear Me"— Diane Warren: Relentless
"Golden — Kpop Demon Hunters
"I Lied to You" — Sinners
"Sweet Dreams of Joy" — Viva Verdi!
"Train Dreams" — Train Dreams
Best Documentary Feature
The Alabama Solution
Come See Me in the Good Light
Cutting Through Rocks
Mr. Nobody Against Putin
The Perfect Neighbor
Best Documentary Short Subject
"All the Empty Rooms"
"Armed Only With a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud"
"Children No More: Were and are Gone"
"The Devil is Busy"
"Perfectly A Strangeness"
Best Film Editing
F1
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another
Sentimental Value
Sinners
Best International Feature Film
The Secret Agent
It Was Just an Accident
Sentimental Value
Sirāt
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Frankenstein
Kokuho
Sinners
The Smashing Machine
The Ugly Stepsister
Best Production Design
Frankenstein
Hamnet
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another
Sinners
Best Visual Effects
Avatar: Fire and Ash
F1
Jurassic World Rebirth
The Lost Bus
Sinners
Christina Buff is a Nashville-based freelance writer for who covers shopping with a splash of entertainment. If you’re ever wondering what streaming service you need to watch something (and the cheapest way to sign up for it), she’s your girl.
Christina received a B.S. in Business Communication (concentration in writing) from Stevenson University and began her professional journey writing and editing press releases. Since then, she’s written content for a marketing agency, blogged for celebrities, and covered local news, politics, women’s lifestyle, fashion, beauty, and just about everything in between for various publications.
When she’s not writing, she’s probably enjoying live music, studying human design, or embroidering and upcycling clothes. You can follow her on Instagram at @touchinfinity.
