Awards
Every Oscar Best Picture Winner Since 2016 and Where to Watch It
By ReelsMasala Editorial · · 6 min read
Working through recent Oscar Best Picture winners is one of the best ways to build a watchlist. The winners span newsroom procedurals, intimate coming-of-age stories, a multiverse action comedy and a three-hour historical epic. This guide covers the eleven films that won the top prize at the 88th through 98th Academy Awards, held from 2016 to 2026, with a short description of each and where to watch it legally in the US.
Winners are confirmed against the Academy's official records at Oscars.org. Streaming availability reflects TMDB and JustWatch data at the time of writing. Note that each ceremony honors films from the previous calendar year.
The winners, newest first
One Battle After Another (98th Academy Awards, 2026)
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson · Rated: R · Runtime: 2 h 42 min
A former revolutionary, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, is pulled back into danger when an old enemy resurfaces and his teenage daughter goes missing. Anderson's comic, multi-generational thriller led the ceremony with six Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, Anderson's first win after many nominations, and Best Supporting Actor for Sean Penn.
Where to watch: HBO Max and Prime Video, and it is available to rent or buy.
Anora (97th, 2025)
Director: Sean Baker · Rated: R · Runtime: 2 h 19 min
A young Brooklyn woman, played by Mikey Madison, impulsively marries the son of a Russian oligarch, and his family sets out to annul the marriage. Funny, chaotic and ultimately heartbreaking, Anora won five Oscars, including Best Actress for Madison. Baker won four of them personally, for directing, writing, editing and as a producer.
Where to watch: Hulu, and free with a participating library card on Kanopy.
Oppenheimer (96th, 2024)
Director: Christopher Nolan · Rated: R · Runtime: 3 h 1 min
The story of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the physicist who led the Manhattan Project, and the political fallout that followed. Oppenheimer won seven Oscars, including Best Director and Best Actor for Cillian Murphy. Our Christopher Nolan guide covers the rest of his filmography.
Where to watch: Peacock, and it is available to rent or buy.
Everything Everywhere All at Once (95th, 2023)
Directors: Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert · Rated: R · Runtime: 2 h 20 min
A laundromat owner in the middle of a tax audit, played by Michelle Yeoh, discovers she must connect with versions of herself in parallel universes to save existence. Everything Everywhere All at Once won seven Oscars, including acting wins for Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan and Jamie Lee Curtis.
Where to watch: Hulu, and it is available to rent or buy.
CODA (94th, 2022)
Director: Sian Heder · Rated: PG-13 · Runtime: 1 h 52 min
Ruby, played by Emilia Jones, is the only hearing member of a Deaf fishing family in Massachusetts, and she must choose between supporting them and pursuing her passion for singing. CODA became the first film released by a streaming service to win Best Picture, and Troy Kotsur won Best Supporting Actor. It is also the most family-friendly film on this list.
Where to watch: Apple TV.
Nomadland (93rd, 2021)
Director: Chloé Zhao · Rated: R · Runtime: 1 h 48 min
After losing her job and her husband, a woman played by Frances McDormand takes to the road in a van, joining a community of modern nomads in the American West. Zhao became only the second woman to win Best Director, and McDormand won Best Actress.
Where to watch: available to rent or buy on Amazon, Apple TV, Google Play and YouTube.
Parasite (92nd, 2020)
Director: Bong Joon Ho · Rated: R · Runtime: 2 h 13 min
A poor family infiltrates a wealthy household, with shocking results. Parasite made history as the first non-English-language film to win Best Picture. Read more in our guide to the best Korean movies for beginners.
Where to watch: Paramount+, and free with a library card on Kanopy.
Green Book (91st, 2019)
Director: Peter Farrelly · Rated: PG-13 · Runtime: 2 h 10 min
In 1962, a Bronx bouncer, played by Viggo Mortensen, drives the acclaimed pianist Don Shirley, played by Mahershala Ali, on a concert tour through the Deep South. Ali won Best Supporting Actor. The film's win was also debated, with critics questioning its perspective on race.
Where to watch: Netflix.
The Shape of Water (90th, 2018)
Director: Guillermo del Toro · Rated: R · Runtime: 2 h 3 min
During the Cold War, a mute cleaning woman at a government lab, played by Sally Hawkins, falls in love with a captive amphibious creature. It is a dark fairy tale for adults that also won Best Director for del Toro.
Where to watch: HBO Max.
Moonlight (89th, 2017)
Director: Barry Jenkins · Rated: R · Runtime: 1 h 51 min
Three chapters in the life of Chiron, a young Black man growing up in Miami, as he struggles with identity, sexuality and belonging. Moonlight is remembered for its quiet power, and for the ceremony itself, where La La Land was mistakenly announced before the error was corrected on stage. Mahershala Ali won Best Supporting Actor.
Where to watch: Netflix, and free with ads on The Roku Channel.
Spotlight (88th, 2016)
Director: Tom McCarthy · Rated: R · Runtime: 2 h 9 min
The Boston Globe's investigative "Spotlight" team uncovers the Catholic Church's systematic cover-up of child abuse in Boston. Understated and gripping, it is a tribute to patient, rigorous journalism.
Where to watch: free with ads on Tubi, Plex and other services, and free on Kanopy.
Quick reference
| Ceremony | Year | Winner | Where to watch (US) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 98th | 2026 | One Battle After Another | HBO Max, Prime Video |
| 97th | 2025 | Anora | Hulu |
| 96th | 2024 | Oppenheimer | Peacock |
| 95th | 2023 | Everything Everywhere All at Once | Hulu |
| 94th | 2022 | CODA | Apple TV |
| 93rd | 2021 | Nomadland | Rent/buy |
| 92nd | 2020 | Parasite | Paramount+ |
| 91st | 2019 | Green Book | Netflix |
| 90th | 2018 | The Shape of Water | HBO Max |
| 89th | 2017 | Moonlight | Netflix |
| 88th | 2016 | Spotlight | Free with ads (Tubi, Plex) |
Tips for an Oscar marathon
- Mix the moods. Alternate heavy dramas like Spotlight with lighter films like CODA or Everything Everywhere All at Once.
- Use free options. Spotlight, Anora and Parasite are available through library services or free ad-supported apps.
- Check ratings. Most winners are rated R. CODA and Green Book are PG-13. Our ratings guide explains the labels.
- Read before or after. The Academy's official awards database lists every nominee and winner, which is helpful for finding the films that lost too.
For upcoming awards contenders, see our November–December 2026 release guide. For help with tricky titles, see how to find where to watch any movie legally.
Frequently asked questions
What won Best Picture at the 2026 Oscars?
*One Battle After Another*, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, won Best Picture at the 98th Academy Awards on March 15, 2026. It won six Oscars in total.
Which Best Picture winners are free to stream?
At the time of writing, *Spotlight* is free with ads on services such as Tubi and Plex, and several winners, including *Parasite*, *Anora* and *Spotlight*, are free with a participating library card on Kanopy.
What was the first streaming film to win Best Picture?
*CODA*, released by Apple TV (then Apple TV+), became the first film from a streaming service to win Best Picture, at the 94th Academy Awards in 2022.
What was the first non-English film to win Best Picture?
Bong Joon Ho's Korean-language film *Parasite* was the first non-English-language film to win Best Picture, at the 92nd Academy Awards in 2020.
Why does the Oscars year differ from the film's release year?
Each Academy Awards ceremony honors films released during the previous calendar year. For example, *Oppenheimer* was released in 2023 and won Best Picture at the ceremony held in March 2024.
Availability and release dates are based on TMDB/JustWatch data for the United States at the time of writing and can change. Always confirm on the provider's site. Read our editorial policy.