Superman Flies High as Critics Choice Super Awards Reveal 2026 Nominees

Awards season isn’t just for prestige dramas anymore.

The Critics Choice Association has announced the nominees for the sixth annual Critics Choice Super Awards, honoring the year’s biggest achievements in action, horror, science fiction, fantasy, and superhero entertainment across both film and television. While the Oscars often reserve their attention for historical epics and intimate character studies, the Super Awards exist for the movies and shows that fill convention halls, inspire cosplay, and keep fandoms debating online long after the credits roll.

This year’s nominations make one thing abundantly clear: Superman is the film to beat.

James Gunn’s reboot leads all movies with six nominations, including Best Superhero Movie. Star David Corenswet earned a Best Actor nomination alongside co-stars Edi Gathegi and Nicholas Hoult, while Rachel Brosnahan was recognized for Best Actress. Hoult also landed a second nomination for Best Villain, giving the film representation in nearly every major superhero category.

On the television side, Amazon’s The Boys once again proved that audiences still have an appetite for superheroes behaving badly. The satirical series collected five nominations, including Best Superhero Series, with Antony Starr recognized both as Best Actor and Best Villain. Co-stars Valorie Curry and Colby Minifie also received acting nominations.

A Strong Year for Genre Movies

While Superman leads the pack, several other highly anticipated releases are close behind with four nominations each.

Among them are:

• Masters of the Universe

• Project Hail Mary

• The Fantastic Four: First Steps

• Weapons

• Obsession

The nominations reflect just how broad genre filmmaking has become. Traditional comic book adaptations share space with literary science fiction, Japanese animation, horror originals, and big-budget fantasy epics.

The action categories also feature an eclectic lineup that includes The Naked Gun, Motor City, The Furious, The Rip, and Sisu: Road to Revenge, while horror nominees range from 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple and Weapons to the mysterious Backrooms and Stephen King’s adaptation The Long Walk.

Science fiction and fantasy remain equally competitive, with films like Project Hail Mary, Frankenstein, Bugonia, Predator: Badlands, and Disclosure Day competing for top honors.

Television’s Genre Boom Continues

Streaming continues to dominate the television nominations.

Alongside The Boys, series earning multiple nominations include:

• Fallout

• House of the Dragon

• Paradise

• Spider-Noir

• Gen V

• Peacemaker

The horror television categories are equally crowded, recognizing returning favorites like Wednesday alongside newcomers including IT: Welcome to Derry, Dexter: Resurrection, and The Boroughs.

Science fiction fans also have plenty to celebrate with nominations for Alien: Earth, Silo, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, For All Mankind, and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.

The Critics Choice Super Awards Continue to Grow

Launched in 2021, the Critics Choice Super Awards were created to give blockbuster and genre entertainment its own spotlight. Rather than treating superhero films, horror movies, and science fiction as guilty pleasures, the awards acknowledge that these genres represent some of the industry’s most ambitious filmmaking—and some of its most passionate audiences.

That philosophy has helped the ceremony carve out its own identity alongside the traditional Critics Choice Awards.

Whether the night’s biggest winner ultimately turns out to be Superman, The Boys, or one of the many challengers, this year’s nominations paint a picture of a healthy genre landscape filled with ambitious blockbusters, inventive horror, and increasingly sophisticated television.

The winners of the 6th Annual Critics Choice Super Awards will be announced on August 6, 2026.

Sean Patrick is a member of the Critics Choice Association and a voter for the Critics Choice Super Awards and the yearly Critics Choice Awards. Sean's been a professional Film Critic for more than 15 years writing for various outlets and having his reviews featured on 8 radio stations across Illinois and Iowa.