Academy

• The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences released shortlists for 10 categories on April 16, narrowing 300+ films to 15 each for the 99th Oscars ceremony on March 7, 2027. • Standouts include 'Dune: Part Two' with 8 nods and 'Wicked' securing spots in song and score, per The Hollywood Reporter analysis. • Industry insiders predict 'Anora' leading Best Picture contenders with 92% odds from Gold Derby, impacting awards season campaigns worth millions.

• NTT Research in Sunnyvale, California, launched Scale Academy on April 15, 2026, an incubator led by SVP Bennett Indart to commercialize lab technologies from NTT divisions. • The first product, SaltGrain, is a zero-trust data security suite using attribute-based encryption (ABE) developed by NTT's Cryptography lab director Dr. Amit Sahai and Dr. Brent Waters. • Scale Academy aims to accelerate breakthrough products for market, focusing on quantum-safe security amid rising threats.

• Julie B. Samora, MD, PhD, MPH, FAAOS, has become chair of the AAOS Board of Directors. • Announcement coincides with planned site maintenance on AAOS.org on March 31, 2026, from 8:00-9:00 AM CST. • Her leadership focuses on advancing orthopaedic care and policy in the U.S.

• Focus Features released 'The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist,' a new documentary from Academy Award-winning filmmakers Daniel Roher and Charlie Tyrell, examining humanity's most urgent challenge: artificial intelligence. • Co-directed by the filmmakers behind 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' and 'Navalny,' the documentary follows Roher's perspective as a father-to-be seeking to understand the world his child will inherit. • The film explores critical questions about AI's future impact on society, blending personal narrative with broader technological concerns in theatrical release across the United States.

• The 98th Oscars averaged 17.86 million viewers, down 9% from 19.69 million last year, marking the lowest since 2022 per Nielsen. • Grammys drew 14.41 million viewers, down 6% from 15.4 million, while Golden Globes had 8.66 million, also down 6% from 9.27 million. • ABC promotions during the show generated $24.2 million in media value, heavily featuring Disney+ with 12 airings worth $14 million.

• Michael B. Jordan won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as twins Smoke and Stack in "Sinners," competing against Timothée Chalamet and other nominees in a hotly contested category. • In his emotional acceptance speech, Jordan acknowledged Black actors who won Oscars before him, including Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, and Will Smith, stating "I stand here because of the people that came before me." • "Sinners" had a successful night at the 98th Oscars, bringing home four total Academy Awards including Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography, and Best Original Score.

• "One Battle After Another" claimed the Oscar for best picture at the 98th Academy Awards held on March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California, winning six total Oscars out of 13 nominations. • Producer Sara Murphy and director Paul Thomas Anderson accepted the award, with Murphy expressing gratitude for the filmmaking experience and Anderson closing the ceremony by inviting the audience to have a martini. • The film defeated nine other nominees including "Bugonia," "F1," "Frankenstein," "Hamnet," "Marty Supreme," "The Secret Agent," "Sentimental Value," "Sinners" and "Train Dreams."