In a bit of a shocker, Apple Original Film F1: The Movie earned a Best Picture nomination plus three other nods when the 98th Academy Awards nominations came out Thursday. Four out of Apple TV’s six nominations went to the racing drama, while the documentary film Come See Me in the Good Light and the wildfire drama The Lost Bus drew two others.
“With F1, Joe, Jerry, Brad, Lewis and the entire creative team delivered something only they could — the most authentic, visceral and entertaining racing film ever made,” said Jamie Erlicht, Apple’s head of Worldwide Video. “They pushed technical boundaries at every turn, and it’s been a privilege to partner on a project of this ambition. Seeing F1 nominated for Best Picture is a testament to their remarkable artistry, vision and unwavering passion.”
F1 earns Best Picture Oscar nomination for Apple TV
Photo: Apple
Apple TV made huge headlines when it became the first streamer to win Best Picture with CODA in 2022. Then it drew a best-pic nomination for Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon in 2024, but fell short of winning that or any of the movie’s 10 nominations. Now, the 2026 Oscar nominations offer nods to F1: The Movie for Best Picture, Film Editing, Sound and Visual Effects awards.
For my money, the high-octane thrill ride noted for its Formula 1 realism takes any or all of those — except Best Picture. That seems likely to go to one of the frontrunners — Sinners, Hamnet or One Battle After Another. They all received nominations for acting and writing, which seem like better predictors of the top prize winner than F1‘s more technical nominations.
That said, F1 could win something. And it’s not Apple TV’s only car in this race. The streamer also received nominations for a documentary and a drama.
“We are so grateful to the Academy for its recognition of F1, Come See Me in the Good Light, and The Lost Bus — three films that evoke the exhilaration of human connection and which have resonated with global audiences in distinct ways,” said Zack Van Amburg, Apple’s head of Worldwide Video, in a press release.
“It’s thrilling to see F1 nominated for Best Picture and to witness so many members of the groundbreaking creative team honored, from visual effects and editing, to the film’s trailblazing sound,” he added. “We send our warmest congratulations to all of the nominees.”
2 other Apple TV Oscar nominations:
- The Lost Bus with Matthew McConaughey was nominated for best Visual Effects. The movie depicts a heroic rescue during California’s devastating Camp Fire in 2018.
- Come See Me in the Good Light was nominated for best Documentary Feature Film. Produced by comedian, actor and cancer survivor Tig Nitaro, it tells the story of two celebrated poets in a relationship rocked by a terminal cancer diagnosis.
Watch the Oscar nominees on Apple TV
You can stream F1, The Lost Bus and Come See Me in the Good Light on Apple TV. It’s available by subscription for $12.99 with a seven-day free trial. You can also get it via any tier of the Apple One subscription bundle. For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV or Mac can enjoy three months of Apple TV for free.
In November 2019, Apple TV “became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service. To date, Apple Original films, documentaries and series have been honored with 682 wins and 3,115 award nominations and counting,” the service said.
David Snow, an expert on Apple hardware and software, writes on a variety of technological and cultural topics for Cult of Mac. They include Apple news, technology buying guides, and features about computer setups and Apple TV shows and movies.
With 30 years of experience covering technology and other subjects, he has written and edited for numerous print and online publications, including CMP Media, TechTV.com, CNET, Wired News, Red Herring magazine, Law.com, The National Law Journal and Law Technology News magazine. Among other roles, he served as executive editor of the Law.com network of websites and editorial director, technology, for ALM Media.
Snow graduated with a B.A. from Syracuse University with majors in magazine journalism and psychology. While there, he worked as a reporter for The Daily Orange newspaper and associate editor of Equal Time magazine.
Founder of the blog At the Waterline, he can be reached on X (formerly Twitter) via @atthewaterline and on Mastodon via @dsnow.
