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That climax of the 98th Academy Awards had a blockbuster when Ryan Coogler’s dark psychological drama, One Battle After Another, was declared the winner in the Best Picture category on March 15, 2026. The movie, which tracks a jazz artist trying to overcome internal and social challenges, gave great competition by beating highly rated movies to win the night in the list.

Michael B. Jordan, who is also the winner of his first Best Actor Oscar in the Best Actor role, presented the producers (Zinzi Coogler) and the team together on stage to deliver an emotional acceptance speech. It was to all artists who have ever struggled in their own fights that this film is evidence that tales of struggle can be heard, and Jordan was visibly emotional, to say the least.

After the victory, it makes the project an outstanding success of the night, also being nominated in several categories. Coogler dedicated the award to his father, who had passed away, and the Black creative community, with the focus on the authentic story. The evening celebrated the unconventional stories with the historic acting victory of Jordan and the surprise win of Jessica Buckley as the winner of the Best Actress award for the movie, The Echoes Within. Social media burst with applause, calling it one of the most effective victories for Best Picture in recent years.