53rd Saturn Awards

53rd Saturn Awards
Date	March 8, 2026
Site	Hilton Universal City, Los Angeles, California
Hosted by	Joel McHale
Highlights
Most nominations	Film: Sinners / Avatar: Fire and Ash / The Fantastic Four: First Steps (12) Television: Dexter: Resurrection (6)
Television coverage
Network	ElectricNOW The Roku Channel (streaming)
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The 53rd Saturn Awards will be presented by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films to honor the best in science fiction, fantasy, horror, and other genres belonging to genre fiction in film, television, and home entertainment.

The ceremony will be held on March 8, 2026, at Hilton Universal City in Los Angeles, with Joel McHale returning to host for the fourth consecutive year. ^[1]

The eligibility period for the 53rd ceremony ran from 31 October 2024 to October 31, 2025. Nominations were announced on January 27, 2026, with genre-defying horror film Sinners , science fiction epic Avatar: Fire and Ash , and Marvel Cinematic Universe superhero film The Fantastic Four: First Steps lead all film nominees, each receiving twelve nominations. For the television categories, Paramount+ mystery crime drama Dexter: Resurrection received a leading six nominations, followed by Andor , It – Welcome to Derry , and Stranger Things with five apiece.

Category changes

Introduced

• Best Cinematic Adaptation
• Best International Animated Film
• Best New Genre Television Series

Discontinued

• Best Genre Comedy Television Series

Winners and nominees

The nominees were announced on January 27, 2026. ^{[2] [3]}

Film

Best Science Fiction Film	Best Fantasy Film
Avatar: Fire and Ash Bugonia Jurassic World Rebirth Predator: Badlands The Running Man Tron: Ares	Freakier Friday Hamnet How to Train Your Dragon The Life of Chuck Lilo & Stitch Wicked: For Good
Best Horror Film	Best Action / Adventure Film
28 Years Later The Conjuring: Last Rites Final Destination Bloodlines Frankenstein The Monkey Weapons	Ballerina F1 Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning Novocaine Now You See Me: Now You Don't One Battle After Another
Best Thriller Film	Best Cinematic Adaptation
Highest 2 Lowest The Housemaid The Long Walk Marty Supreme Sinners Wake Up Dead Man	Black Phone 2 Captain America: Brave New World The Fantastic Four: First Steps A Minecraft Movie Superman Thunderbolts*
Best Animated Film	Best International Animated Film
The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie The Bad Guys 2 Elio KPop Demon Hunters The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants Zootopia 2	Attack on Titan the Movie: The Last Attack Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc The Colors Within Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle Ne Zha 2 Stitch Head
Best Independent Film	Best International Film
Adulthood Eden Dust Bunny Good Boy The Rule of Jenny Pen The Plague The Toxic Avenger	40 Acres Bring Her Back Dead of Winter Night Call The Ugly Stepsister Sisu: Road to Revenge
Best Film Direction	Best Film Screenwriting
James Cameron – Avatar: Fire and Ash Ryan Coogler – Sinners Guillermo del Toro – Frankenstein James Gunn – Superman Christopher McQuarrie – Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning Matt Shakman – The Fantastic Four: First Steps Dan Trachtenberg – Predator: Badlands	James Cameron, Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver – Avatar: Fire and Ash Bryan Fuller – Dust Bunny Josh Friedman, Jeff Kaplan, Eric Pearson, Ian Springer – The Fantastic Four: First Steps Guillermo del Toro – Frankenstein Erik Jendresen, Christopher McQuarrie – Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning Ryan Coogler – Sinners Zach Cregger – Weapons
Best Actor in a Film	Best Actress in a Film
David Corenswet – Superman as Clark Kent/Superman Tom Cruise – Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning as Ethan Hunt Tom Hiddleston – The Life of Chuck as Charles "Chuck" Kranz Oscar Isaac – Frankenstein as Victor Frankenstein Michael B. Jordan – Sinners as Elijah "Smoke" Moore & Elias "Stack" Moore Pedro Pascal – The Fantastic Four: First Steps as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic Sam Worthington – Avatar: Fire and Ash as Jake Sully	Rachel Brosnahan – Superman as Lois Lane Cynthia Erivo – Wicked: For Good as Elphaba Elle Fanning – Predator: Badlands as Thia & Tessa Julia Garner – Weapons as Justine Gandy Vanessa Kirby – The Fantastic Four: First Steps as Susan Storm/Invisible Woman Zoe Saldaña – Avatar: Fire and Ash as Neytiri Emma Stone – Bugonia as Michelle Fuller
Best Supporting Actor in a Film	Best Supporting Actress in a Film
Jacob Elordi – Frankenstein as The Creature Edi Gathegi – Superman as Michael Holt/Mister Terrific Jeff Goldblum – Wicked: For Good as Wizard of Oz Stephen Lang – Avatar: Fire and Ash as Miles Quaritch Delroy Lindo – Sinners as Delta Slim Mads Mikkelsen – Dust Bunny as Resident 5B Ebon Moss-Bachrach – The Fantastic Four: First Steps as Ben Grimm/Thing	Oona Chaplin – Avatar: Fire and Ash as Varang Mia Goth – Frankenstein Ariana Grande – Wicked: For Good as Glinda Amy Madigan – Weapons as Gladys Hailee Steinfeld – Sinners as Elizabeth Harlander Florence Pugh – Thunderbolts* as Yelena Belova/Black Widow Sigourney Weaver – Dust Bunny as Laverne
Best Younger Performer in a Film	Best Film Editing
Miles Caton – Sinners as Samuel "Sammie" Moore Jack Champion – Avatar: Fire and Ash as Miles "Spider" Socorro Maia Kealoha – Lilo & Stitch as Lilo Pelekai Madeleine McGraw – Black Phone 2 as Gwen Sophie Sloan – Dust Bunny as Aurora Mason Thames – How to Train Your Dragon as Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III	James Cameron, Nicholas De Toth, Jason Gaudio, John Refoua, Steve Rivkin – Avatar: Fire and Ash Nona Khodai, Tim Roche – The Fantastic Four: First Steps Evan Schiff – Frankenstein Eddie Hamilton – Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning Stefan Grube, Dave Trachtenberg – Predator: Badlands Michael P. Shawyer – Sinners
Best Film Music	Best Film Production Design
Simon Franglen – Avatar: Fire and Ash Michael Giacchino – The Fantastic Four: First Steps Alexandre Desplat – Frankenstein Ludwig Göransson – Sinners Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross – Tron: Ares John Powell, Stephen Schwartz – Wicked: For Good	Dylan Cole, Ben Procter – Avatar: Fire and Ash Jille Azis, Kasra Farahani – The Fantastic Four: First Steps Tamara Deverell, Shane Vieau – Frankenstein Hannah Beachler, Monique Champagne – Sinners Beth Mickle – Superman Nathan Crowley, Lee Sandales – Wicked: For Good
Best Film Costume Design	Best Film Make Up
Alexandra Byrne – The Fantastic Four: First Steps Kate Hawley – Frankenstein Ngila Dickson – Predator: Badlands Ruth E. Carter – Sinners Judianna Makovsky – Superman Paul Tazewell – Wicked: For Good	Flora Moody, John Nolan – 28 Years Later Mike Hill, Megan Many – Frankenstein Mike Fontaine, Siân Richards – Sinners Zabrina Matiru, Donald Mowat – Tron: Ares Jason Collins, Leo Satkovich, Melizah Wheat – Weapons Mark Coulier, Frances Hannon – Wicked: For Good
Best Film Visual / Special Effects
Richard Baneham, Daniel Barrett, Joe Letteri, Eric Saindon – Avatar: Fire and Ash Daniele Bigi, Lisa Marra, Scott Stokdyk – The Fantastic Four: First Steps Andy Kind, François Lambert, Christian Manz, Glen McIntosh, Glenn Melenhorst – How to Train Your Dragon Kristin Hall, Ian Lowe, Dave Newton, Jeff Sutherland, Alex Wuttke – Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning Stéphane Ceretti, Enrico Damm, Stephane Nazé, Guy Williams – Superman Pablo Helman, Dale Newton – Wicked: For Good

Television

Programs

Best Science Fiction Television Series	Best Fantasy Television Series
Andor The Ark Foundation Severance Silo Star Trek: Strange New Worlds	Mayfair Witches Ghosts The Librarians: The Next Chapter Outlander Stranger Things Wednesday
Best Horror Television Series	Best Action / Adventure Television Series
Talamasca: The Secret Order The Institute It – Welcome to Derry The Last of Us The Walking Dead: Dead City Yellowjackets	Cobra Kai Duster Paradise Reacher Squid Game Twisted Metal
Best Thriller Television Series	Best Superhero Television Series
Dark Winds Dexter: Resurrection The Lowdown MobLand The Rainmaker Your Friends & Neighbors	Daredevil: Born Again Gen V Invincible Ironheart Peacemaker The Sandman
Best Television Presentation or Limited Series	Best Animated Television Series or Event
The Beast in Me Black Mirror Murderbot Nautilus The Pitt The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon	Creature Commandos Harley Quinn Marvel Zombies Predator: Killer of Killers Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man Solo Leveling - Arise from the Shadow
Best New Genre Television Series
Alien: Earth Outlander: Blood of My Blood Pluribus Robin Hood Spartacus: House of Ashur Star Wars: Skeleton Crew

Acting

Best Actor in a Television Series	Best Actress in a Television Series
Sterling K. Brown – Paradise as Xavier Collins John Cena – Peacemaker as Chris Smith/Peacemaker Michael C. Hall – Dexter: Resurrection as Dexter Morgan Sam Heughan – Outlander as Jamie Fraser Diego Luna – Andor as Cassian Andor Norman Reedus – The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon as Daryl Dixon Adam Scott – Severance as Mark Scout	Caitríona Balfe – Outlander as Claire Fraser Millie Bobby Brown – Stranger Things as Eleven Sydney Chandler – Alien: Earth as Wendy Britt Lower – Severance as Helly R. Melissa McBride – The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon as Carol Peletier Jenna Ortega – Wednesday as Wednesday Addams Rhea Seahorn – Pluribus as Carol Sturka
Best Supporting Actor in a Television Series	Best Supporting Actress in a Television Series
Jack Alcott – Dexter: Resurrection as Harrison Morgan William Fichtner – Talamasca: The Secret Order as Jasper Jude Law – Star Wars: Skeleton Crew as Jod Na Nawood James Marsden – Paradise as Cal Bradford Babou Ceesay – Alien: Earth as Morrow Ethan Peck – Star Trek: Strange New Worlds as Spock Stellan Skarsgård – Andor as Luthen Rael	Christina Chong – Star Trek: Strange New Worlds as La'an Noonien Singh Denise Gough – Andor as Dedra Meero Julianne Nicholson – Paradise as Samantha "Sinatra" Redmond Jennifer Holland – Peacemaker as Emilia Harcourt Genevieve O'Reilly – Andor as Mon Mothma Uma Thurman – Dexter: Resurrection as Charley Brown Karolina Wydra – Pluribus as Zosia
Best Young Performer in a Television Series	Best Guest Star in a Television Series
Ravi Cabot-Conyers Arian Cartaya – It – Welcome to Derry as Rich Santos Joe Freeman – The Institute as Luke Ellis Noah Schnapp – Stranger Things as Will Byers Jaz Sinclair – Gen V as Marie Moreau Sadie Sink – Stranger Things as Max Mayfield Clara Stack – It – Welcome to Derry as Lilly Bainbridge	David Dastmalchian – Dexter: Resurrection as Gareth Pike Peter Dinklage – Dexter: Resurrection as Leon Prater Linda Hamilton – Stranger Things as Dr Kay James Remar – It – Welcome to Derry as Francis Shaw Bill Skarsgård – It – Welcome to Derry as Pennywise Samba Schutte – Pluribus as Koumba Diabaté Paul Wesley – Star Trek: Strange New Worlds as James T. Kirk

References

1. Sullivan, Kevin P. (January 7, 2026). "Joel McHale set to return as host for 2026 Saturn Awards". Gold Derby .
2. Hipes, Patrick (January 27, 2026). "'Sinners', 'Avatar: Fire And Ash', 'Fantastic Four' And 'Dexter: Resurrection' Lead Saturn Awards Nominations". Deadline Hollywood .
3. Templeton, Molly (January 28, 2026). "Here Are the Nominees for the 53rd Annual Saturn Awards". Reactor .

External links

• Official Saturn Awards website