Guillermo del Toro Breaks Silence on the 2026 Oscars’ Biggest Snub

Well, the Oscars 2026 managed to annoy just about everyone with a pulse (or, at least, anyone with good taste in movies) after dropping the ball on not one, but two top-tier directors. If you watched the nomination announcements and thought, 'Wait, where the hell is Park Chan-wook and Guillermo del Toro?', you’re not alone.

Guillermo del Toro Calls Out the Snub

It started with Park Chan-wook's latest film, 'No Other Choice' – a South Korean thriller that had critics losing their minds and fans clamoring for tickets since its August 2025 release. Pretty much everyone agreed it was one of Park’s best, featuring his usual signature mood swings between pitch-black humor and sudden violence.

So when the Oscars came and went without a single nomination for 'No Other Choice', there were a few angry tweets, but the real fireworks began when Guillermo del Toro stepped into the conversation online. (If you’re counting, that’s one legendary director sticking up for another.)

'Top 3 of his filmography and a prodigy of tone-shifting!'

That’s del Toro, weighing in on X (formerly Twitter), replying to critic Tomris Laffly, who called it 'possibly the worst Oscar snub in history.' Del Toro isn’t usually the type who freaks out on social media – so you know this one stung.

Even del Toro Got the Cold Shoulder

Here’s the ironic bit: Del Toro himself also got shut out by the Academy this year, despite showing up with his own passion project, 'Frankenstein'. The 2025 film starred Jacob Elordi and Oscar Isaac, took a visually wild swing at Mary Shelley's novel, and – no surprise – was moody, beautiful, and surprisingly philosophical. The kind of movie only del Toro could pull off.

Netflix even coughed up for a limited theatrical run, just to make sure 'Frankenstein' would be Oscar-eligible. It worked for Jacob Elordi, who landed a nod for Best Supporting Actor – but when it came to Best Director? Crickets for del Toro.

Maybe it’s just a bad year all around for visionary directors who don’t play it safe.

The Park Chan-wook Curse

If you’re getting deja vu, you’re not crazy. Park Chan-wook has a long history of getting love from both critics and audiences, then getting left out in the cold by the Oscars. We’re talking 'Oldboy', 'The Handmaiden', 'Decision to Leave' – and now, 'No Other Choice'. The Academy might claim to respect his work, but the nominations just never seem to materialize.

At this point, plenty of people have a theory: maybe Park's intense, sometimes cynical, and definitely violent style just doesn't gel with what Oscar voters like to see. Blood splatter and razor-sharp satire might work at Cannes, but they’re apparently too much for Hollywood’s cozy big night.

'No Other Choice': The Basic Facts

• Director: Park Chan-wook
• Cast: Son Ye-jin, Lee Byung-hun, Park Hee-soon
• Release Date: August 29, 2025
• IMDb Rating: 7.6/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%
• Box Office: $31 million worldwide
• Production: CJ Entertainment
• Where to Watch: Still playing in cinemas (for now, at least)

Honestly, it’s baffling. In a year with this much heat, the Oscars decided to skip two of the most imaginative directors working, and the internet isn’t about to let them forget it. If you don’t believe me, just scroll through the comments. Everyone’s got an opinion, and almost none of them are happy.

Think the Academy made the right call? Or do you want to join the online pitchfork parade? Chime in below.