The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films
Announces Nominations for
THE 53RD ANNUAL SATURN AWARDS
“Avatar: Fire and Ash,” “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” “Sinners,” “Frankenstein,” “Wicked: For Good,” and “Superman”
Lead an Expansive and Competitive Year for Genre Entertainment
“Dexter: Resurrection,” “Andor,” “It: Welcome to Derry,” “Stranger Things,” “Paradise,” “Pluribus,” and “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds”
Top Television Nominations
Sunday, March 8, 2026
Universal Hilton | Los Angeles
Hosted by Joel McHale
Los Angeles, CA — January 27, 2026 — The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films today announced the nominations for the 53rd Annual Saturn Awards, honoring outstanding achievements in science fiction, fantasy, horror, superhero, action-adventure, animation, and genre storytelling across film, television, and home entertainment.
The 53rd Annual Saturn Awards ceremony will take place on Sunday, March 8, 2026, at the Universal Hilton in Los Angeles, and will be hosted by actor, comedian, and television personality Joel McHale, marking his fourth consecutive year hosting the event.
Featuring the most competitive and expansive field in the history of the Saturn Awards, this year’s nominations span blockbuster franchise installments, bold original storytelling, and critically acclaimed performances. Together, they reflect the continued evolution and cultural dominance of genre storytelling at the forefront of global entertainment, innovation, and audience engagement.
Founded in 1972, the Saturn Awards remain the only awards show dedicated exclusively to honoring genre entertainment, recognizing the creative visionaries whose work continues to shape popular culture across generations.
FILM HIGHLIGHTS
Leading the film nominations are:
- “Avatar: Fire and Ash” — 12 nominations
- “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” — 12 nominations
- “Sinners” — 12 nominations
They are followed closely by Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein” with 11 nominations, “Wicked: For Good” with nine, and James Gunn’s “Superman” with eight nominations, underscoring the continued resurgence of large-scale genre filmmaking.
“Avatar: Fire and Ash”, directed by James Cameron, received nominations across nearly every major film category, including Best Science Fiction Film, Best Director, Best Screenwriting, and acting nominations for Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Stephen Lang, Oona Chaplin, and Jack Champion, along with recognition for visual effects, music, editing, and production design.
Marvel Studios’ “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” emerged as one of the year’s most broadly recognized titles, earning nominations for Best Cinematic Film Adaptation, acting performances, direction, and multiple technical categories including visual effects, music, editing, costume design, and production design.
Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners” earned widespread acclaim with nominations spanning Best Thriller Film, Best Director, Best Actor (Michael B. Jordan), supporting performances, and major creative categories including screenwriting, music, production design, editing, and costume design.
TELEVISION HIGHLIGHTS
In television, “Dexter: Resurrection” leads all series with six nominations, followed by “Andor,” “It: Welcome to Derry,” and “Stranger Things,” each earning five nominations. Additional strong contenders include “Paradise,” “Pluribus,” and “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.”
Genre television continued its dominance across platforms, with nominations recognizing standout performances by Diego Luna, Michael C. Hall, Adam Scott, Jenna Ortega, Millie Bobby Brown, Sterling K. Brown, and Rhea Seehorn, among many others.
The Best New Genre Television Series category highlights the expanding scope of genre storytelling, with nominations including:
- “Alien: Earth”
- “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew”
- “Pluribus”
- “Robin Hood”
- “Spartacus: House of Asher”
STUDIO & PLATFORM LEADERS
Among film studios, Warner Bros. leads with 30 nominations, followed by Walt Disney Studios (22), 20th Century Studios (17), Universal Pictures (15), Marvel Studios (14), and Netflix (13).
On the television side, Paramount, Netflix, Sony Pictures Television, Warner Bros. Television, and Apple emerged as the most nominated entities, reflecting the continued growth and diversity of genre programming across broadcast, cable, and premium platforms.
Academy President Robert Holguin and Saturn Awards producers Bradley and Kevin Marcus stated:
“This year’s nominations truly capture why genre fans show up year after year. The imagination, scale, and passion on display across these films and series are bigger than ever. From science fiction and fantasy to horror, superheroes, and action, these stories don’t just entertain — they bring fans together and remind us why genre continues to lead the way.”
Stay tuned: A host of Special Achievement Awards and Honors will be announced in the coming weeks.
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