Every year, a few movies are identified as the front runners for multiple Academy Awards after being nominated in just about every prestigious category. And, occasionally, one movie proves these bold predictions to be accurate by sweeping the competition.
To determine the movies with the most Oscars every year since 1975, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data on Oscar wins from the Academy Awards Database of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Awards tallies include all Oscars given to any recipient for a specific movie, including honorary awards, special awards, special achievement awards, and scientific or technical awards. Data is complete through the 2021 (93rd) Academy Awards.
In Oscars history, three movies have tied for the most awards. “Ben-Hur” (1959), “Titanic” (1997) and “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” (2003) have won 11 Oscars after being nominated in 12, 14, and 11 categories, respectively. The third installment of the Lord of the Ring saga still holds the record of the largest Oscars sweep – the fantasy film won every category it was nominated in, including Best Picture.
“Titanic” is also tied for most nominations ever received by a single film. The other two movies, also with 14 nominations, are “All ABout Eve” (1950) and “La La Land” (2016), though the musical took home “just” six Oscars. These are the best musicals of all time.
Click here for the movies that won the most Oscars every year since 1976
1976
> Movie with the most Oscars: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
> Oscar awards: 5
> Oscars won: Best Picture; Actor; Actress; Directing; Writing (Screenplay Adapted From Other Material)
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1977 (tie)
> Movie with the most Oscars: All the President’s Men
> Oscar awards: 4
> Oscars won: Actor In A Supporting Role; Art Direction; Sound; Writing (Screenplay–Based On Material From Another Medium)
1977 (tie)
> Movie with the most Oscars: Network
> Oscar awards: 4
> Oscars won: Actor In A Leading Role; Actress In A Leading Role; Actress In A Supporting Role; Writing (Screenplay Written Directly For The Screen–Based On Factual Material Or On Story Material Not Previously Published Or Produced)
1978
> Movie with the most Oscars: Star Wars
> Oscar awards: 7
> Oscars won: Art Direction; Costume Design; Film Editing; Music (Original Score); Sound; Visual Effects; Special Achievement Award
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1979
> Movie with the most Oscars: The Deer Hunter
> Oscar awards: 5
> Oscars won: Best Picture; Actor In A Supporting Role; Directing; Film Editing; Sound
1980
> Movie with the most Oscars: Kramer vs. Kramer
> Oscar awards: 5
> Oscars won: Best Picture; Actor In A Leading Role; Actress In A Supporting Role; Directing; Writing (Screenplay Based On Material From Another Medium)
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1981
> Movie with the most Oscars: Ordinary People
> Oscar awards: 4
> Oscars won: Best Picture; Actor In A Supporting Role; Directing; Writing (Screenplay Based On Material From Another Medium)
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1982
> Movie with the most Oscars: Raiders of the Lost Ark
> Oscar awards: 5
> Oscars won: Art Direction; Film Editing; Sound; Visual Effects; Special Achievement Award (Sound Effects Editing)
1983
> Movie with the most Oscars: Gandhi
> Oscar awards: 8
> Oscars won: Best Picture; Actor In A Leading Role; Art Direction; Cinematography; Costume Design; Directing; Film Editing; Writing (Screenplay Written Directly For The Screen)
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1984
> Movie with the most Oscars: Terms of Endearment
> Oscar awards: 5
> Oscars won: Best Picture; Actress In A Leading Role; Actor In A Supporting Role; Directing; Writing (Screenplay Based On Material From Another Medium)
1985
> Movie with the most Oscars: Amadeus
> Oscar awards: 8
> Oscars won: Best Picture; Actor In A Leading Role; Art Direction; Costume Design; Directing; Makeup; Sound; Writing (Screenplay Based On Material From Another Medium)
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1986
> Movie with the most Oscars: Out of Africa
> Oscar awards: 7
> Oscars won: Best Picture; Art Direction; Cinematography; Directing; Music (Original Score); Sound; Writing (Screenplay Based On Material From Another Medium)
1987
> Movie with the most Oscars: Platoon
> Oscar awards: 4
> Oscars won: Best Picture; Directing; Film Editing; Sound
1988
> Movie with the most Oscars: The Last Emperor
> Oscar awards: 9
> Oscars won: Best Picture; Art Direction; Cinematography; Costume Design; Directing; Film Editing; Music (Original Score); Sound; Writing (Screenplay Based On Material From Another Medium)
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1989 (tie)
> Movie with the most Oscars: Rain Man
> Oscar awards: 4
> Oscars won: Best Picture; Actor In A Leading Role; Directing; Writing (Screenplay Written Directly For The Screen)
1989 (tie)
> Movie with the most Oscars: Who Framed Roger Rabbit
> Oscar awards: 4
> Oscars won: Film Editing; Sound Effects Editing; Visual Effects; Special Achievement Award
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1990
> Movie with the most Oscars: Driving Miss Daisy
> Oscar awards: 4
> Oscars won: Best Picture; Actress In A Leading Role; Makeup; Writing (Screenplay Based On Material From Another Medium)
1991
> Movie with the most Oscars: Dances with Wolves
> Oscar awards: 7
> Oscars won: Best Picture; Cinematography; Directing; Film Editing; Music (Original Score); Sound; Writing (Screenplay Based On Material From Another Medium)
1992
> Movie with the most Oscars: The Silence of the Lambs
> Oscar awards: 5
> Oscars won: Best Picture; Actor In A Leading Role; Actress In A Leading Role; Directing; Writing (Screenplay Based On Material Previously Produced Or Published)
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1993
> Movie with the most Oscars: Unforgiven
> Oscar awards: 4
> Oscars won: Best Picture; Actor In A Supporting Role; Directing; Film Editing
1994
> Movie with the most Oscars: Schindler’s List
> Oscar awards: 7
> Oscars won: Best Picture; Art Direction; Cinematography; Directing; Film Editing; Music (Original Score); Writing (Screenplay Based On Material Previously Produced Or Published)
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1995
> Movie with the most Oscars: Forrest Gump
> Oscar awards: 6
> Oscars won: Best Picture; Actor In A Leading Role; Directing; Film Editing; Visual Effects; Writing (Screenplay Based On Material Previously Produced Or Published)
1996
> Movie with the most Oscars: Braveheart
> Oscar awards: 5
> Oscars won: Best Picture; Cinematography; Directing; Makeup; Sound Effects Editing
1997
> Movie with the most Oscars: The English Patient
> Oscar awards: 9
> Oscars won: Best Picture; Actress In A Supporting Role; Art Direction; Cinematography; Costume Design; Directing; Film Editing; Music (Original Dramatic Score); Sound
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1998
> Movie with the most Oscars: Titanic
> Oscar awards: 11
> Oscars won: Best Picture; Art Direction; Cinematography; Costume Design; Directing; Film Editing; Music (Original Dramatic Score); Music (Original Song); Sound; Sound Effects Editing; Visual Effects
1999
> Movie with the most Oscars: Shakespeare in Love
> Oscar awards: 7
> Oscars won: Best Picture; Actress In A Leading Role; Actress In A Supporting Role; Art Direction; Costume Design; Music (Original Musical Or Comedy Score); Writing (Screenplay Written Directly For The Screen)
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2000
> Movie with the most Oscars: American Beauty
> Oscar awards: 5
> Oscars won: Best Picture; Actor In A Leading Role; Cinematography; Directing; Writing (Screenplay Written Directly For The Screen)
2001
> Movie with the most Oscars: Gladiator
> Oscar awards: 5
> Oscars won: Best Picture; Actor In A Leading Role; Costume Design; Sound; Visual Effects
2002 (tie)
> Movie with the most Oscars: A Beautiful Mind
> Oscar awards: 4
> Oscars won: Best Picture; Actress In A Supporting Role; Directing; Writing (Screenplay Based On Material Previously Produced Or Published)
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2002 (tie)
> Movie with the most Oscars: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
> Oscar awards: 4
> Oscars won: Cinematography; Makeup; Music (Original Score); Visual Effects
2003
> Movie with the most Oscars: Chicago
> Oscar awards: 6
> Oscars won: Best Picture; Actress In A Supporting Role; Art Direction; Costume Design; Film Editing; Sound
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2004
> Movie with the most Oscars: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
> Oscar awards: 11
> Oscars won: Best Picture; Art Direction; Costume Design; Directing; Film Editing; Makeup; Music (Original Score); Music (Original Song); Sound Mixing; Visual Effects; Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
2005
> Movie with the most Oscars: The Aviator
> Oscar awards: 5
> Oscars won: Actress In A Supporting Role; Art Direction; Cinematography; Costume Design; Film Editing
2006 (tie)
> Movie with the most Oscars: Brokeback Mountain
> Oscar awards: 3
> Oscars won: Directing; Music (Original Score); Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
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2006 (tie)
> Movie with the most Oscars: Crash
> Oscar awards: 3
> Oscars won: Best Picture; Writing (Original Screenplay); Film Editing
2006 (tie)
> Movie with the most Oscars: King Kong
> Oscar awards: 3
> Oscars won: Sound Editing; Sound Mixing; Visual Effects
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2006 (tie)
> Movie with the most Oscars: Memoirs of a Geisha
> Oscar awards: 3
> Oscars won: Art Direction; Cinematography; Costume Design
2007
> Movie with the most Oscars: The Departed
> Oscar awards: 4
> Oscars won: Best Picture; Directing; Film Editing; Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
2008
> Movie with the most Oscars: No Country for Old Men
> Oscar awards: 4
> Oscars won: Best Picture; Actor In A Supporting Role; Directing; Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
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2009
> Movie with the most Oscars: Slumdog Millionaire
> Oscar awards: 8
> Oscars won: Best Picture; Cinematography; Directing; Film Editing; Music (Original Score); Music (Original Song); Sound Mixing; Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
2010
> Movie with the most Oscars: The Hurt Locker
> Oscar awards: 6
> Oscars won: Best Picture; Writing (Original Screenplay); Directing; Film Editing; Sound Editing; Sound Mixing
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2011 (tie)
> Movie with the most Oscars: Inception
> Oscar awards: 4
> Oscars won: Cinematography; Sound Editing; Sound Mixing; Visual Effects
2011 (tie)
> Movie with the most Oscars: The King’s Speech
> Oscar awards: 4
> Oscars won: Best Picture; Actor In A Leading Role; Writing (Original Screenplay); Directing
2012 (tie)
> Movie with the most Oscars: The Artist
> Oscar awards: 5
> Oscars won: Best Picture; Actor In A Leading Role; Costume Design; Directing; Music (Original Score)
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2012 (tie)
> Movie with the most Oscars: Hugo
> Oscar awards: 5
> Oscars won: Art Direction; Cinematography; Sound Editing; Sound Mixing; Visual Effects
2013
> Movie with the most Oscars: Life of Pi
> Oscar awards: 4
> Oscars won: Cinematography; Directing; Music (Original Score); Visual Effects
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2014
> Movie with the most Oscars: Gravity
> Oscar awards: 7
> Oscars won: Cinematography; Directing; Film Editing; Music (Original Score); Sound Editing; Sound Mixing; Visual Effects
2015 (tie)
> Movie with the most Oscars: Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
> Oscar awards: 4
> Oscars won: Best Picture; Writing (Original Screenplay); Cinematography; Directing
2015 (tie)
> Movie with the most Oscars: The Grand Budapest Hotel
> Oscar awards: 4
> Oscars won: Costume Design; Makeup And Hairstyling; Music (Original Score); Production Design
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2016
> Movie with the most Oscars: Mad Max: Fury Road
> Oscar awards: 6
> Oscars won: Costume Design; Film Editing; Makeup And Hairstyling; Production Design; Sound Editing; Sound Mixing
2017
> Movie with the most Oscars: La La Land
> Oscar awards: 6
> Oscars won: Actress In A Leading Role; Cinematography; Directing; Music (Original Score); Music (Original Song); Production Design
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2018
> Movie with the most Oscars: The Shape of Water
> Oscar awards: 4
> Oscars won: Best Picture; Directing; Music (Original Score); Production Design
2019
> Movie with the most Oscars: Bohemian Rhapsody
> Oscar awards: 4
> Oscars won: Actor In A Leading Role; Film Editing; Sound Editing; Sound Mixing
2020
> Movie with the most Oscars: Parasite
> Oscar awards: 4
> Oscars won: Best Picture; Writing (Original Screenplay); Directing; International Feature Film
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2021
> Movie with the most Oscars: Nomadland
> Oscar awards: 3
> Oscars won: Best Picture; Actress In A Leading Role; Directing
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