Snubs At 31st Critics’ Choice Awards
Snubs At 31st Critics’ Choice Awards(Photo Credit –Facebook)

The nominations for the 31st Critics’ Choice Awards are officially out. Ryan Coogler’s horror sensation Sinners leads the pack with a remarkable 17 nominations, followed by Leonardo DiCaprio’s action thriller One Battle After Another (14 nominations). Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein and Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet tie with 11 nominations each, and Timothée Chalamet’s sports drama Marty Supreme earned 8 nominations.

Despite the wide-ranging recognition, several acclaimed films, series, and heartfelt performances that were widely expected to score big were surprisingly left out. Here are five such notable omissions that deserved a place in the 2026 Critics’ Choice Awards lineup.

1. Avatar: Fire and Ash (Best Film & Best Director Categories)

Avatar: Fire and Ash, James Cameron’s highly anticipated third installment of his epic sci-fi franchise, is set to hit theaters on December 19, 2025. The film recently held its world premiere at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, where early reactions were overwhelmingly positive. Some viewers have hailed it as bigger and more emotional than its predecessors and the ultimate cinematic spectacle.

Given such glowing early impressions, Avatar: Fire and Ash is a surprising omission from the Best Film and Best Director categories at the Critics’ Choice Awards. Although it secured a nomination for Best Visual Effects, its absence from other major categories may simply be because the film was screened late in the voting cycle, potentially causing it to miss broader consideration.

2. Dexter: Resurrection (Best Drama Series & Best Actor in a Drama Series Categories)

Dexter: Resurrection, Clyde Phillips’ latest chapter in the iconic serial-killer drama, earned unanimous praise from critics and audiences alike. The season holds a stellar 95% Rotten Tomatoes Critics’ Score and is currently one of only three 2025 titles to break into IMDb’s Top 250 TV Shows of All Time. Michael C. Hall’s riveting return as Dexter Morgan even drew comparisons to Bryan Cranston’s iconic Breaking Bad performance. With such acclaim and impact, Dexter: Resurrection stands out as a genuinely surprising omission from both the Best Drama Series and Best Actor categories.

3. The Smashing Machine (Best Actor Category – Dwayne Johnson)

The Benny Safdie-directed sports drama The Smashing Machine earned widespread praise, particularly for the former WWE champion turned Hollywood superstar Dwayne Johnson’s transformative and arguably Oscar-worthy performance. Following the film’s release, even Christopher Nolan praised Dwayne Johnson’s performance, calling it “incredible” and “heartbreaking.” Given such recognition, the absence of the actor’s name from the Best Actor category at this year’s Critics’ Choice Awards is certainly a surprising omission for many fans.

4. Wicked: For Good (Best Actress Category – Cynthia Erivo)

Jon M. Chu’s Wicked: For Good, the sequel to the 2024 musical fantasy hit, may not have earned unanimous praise from critics, but Cynthia Erivo’s turn as the Wicked Witch of the West was widely celebrated. Her emotionally rich and powerful performance stood out to many viewers, making her absence from this year’s Best Actress nominees particularly surprising. Still, selecting the year’s finest performances is ultimately a subjective call, and tough choices are inevitable.

5. The Bear (Best Comedy Series & Best Actor in a Comedy Series Categories)

Much like Dexter: Resurrection, another surprising omission from this year’s Critics’ Choice Awards is the widely acclaimed comedy-drama The Bear. Fans might have expected the series to earn nominations for Best Comedy Series, as well as Best Actor in a Comedy Series for Jeremy Allen White’s performance. Its absence in both categories for Season 4 might’ve understandably left many viewers disappointed.

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