31st Critics Choice Awards: highlights from the ceremony

The 31st Critics Choice Awards were held on Jan. 4, 2026 at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, hosted by Chelsea Handler; Ryan Coogler’s Sinners led film nominations with 17 while Adolescence led TV with six.

The 31st Critics Choice Awards took place on January 4, 2026 at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica. Chelsea Handler returned as host for a fourth consecutive year. The show served as the opening major event of the awards season, held a week before the Golden Globes. Coverage included red carpet arrivals and onstage moments that drew attention across social and traditional media. Key details: - Date and place: January 4, 2026, Barker Hangar, Santa Monica, California. - Host: Chelsea Handler, serving as host for the fourth year in a row. - Film nominations leaders: Ryan Coogler’s Sinners led with 17 nominations; Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another had 14; Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein and Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet had 11 each. - Television nominations leaders: Adolescence led television with six nominations, followed by Netflix’s Nobody Wants This with five. - Red carpet notes: Attendees and standouts included Ali Larter, Elle Fanning, Alicia Silverstone, host Chelsea Handler, and nominees such as Owen Cooper. Summary: The ceremony opened the 2026 awards season and highlighted leading film and television nominees. Sinners led the film categories and Adolescence led in television. The Golden Globes were scheduled for the following week.