A record 27 feature-length animated films have been submitted for the subgenre’s top honors at the Oscars. Indeed, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced today the list of films that have been submitted for consideration in the Best Animated Feature category, and the competition looks to be rather fierce. Disney already has two frontrunners in the form ofZootopia, which garnered stellar reviews for its deft examination of prejudiceandgrossed $1 billion, and the upcomingMoanawhich has star-power (Dwayne Johnson!) and a musical soundtrack byLin-Manuel Miranda—theHamiltoncreator/star may very well EGOT at this year’s ceremony for his original song contributions.
There’s also Pixar’sFinding Dory, which is the second highest grossing film of the year, and DreamWorks Animation hasKung Fu Panda 3andTrollsin the hunt. And, of course, Illumination Entertainment broke out of itsDespicable Mebubble with the wildly successfulThe Secret Life of Petsand still has the crowd-pleasingSingon the way. LAIKA always has a dog in the fight as well, andKubo and the Two Stringsis certainly the studio’s most ambitious effort yet.
And then there’sSausage Party, the hard R-rated comedy fromSeth RogenandEvan Goldberg. Annapurna Pictures and Sony are giving the film a genuine awards push to get it into the race and under serious consideration, so it’s possible we could be looking at a nomination there as well.
If I had to choose now I’d probably sayZootopiais the frontrunner, but November will introduceMoanaandSingproperly, so things could get very interesting. Nomination-wise, this branch of the Academy likes to throw curveballs by including films likeBoy & the WorldandSong of the Seain addition to popular blockbuster fare. If I had to guess, I’d saysZootopia,Moana, andFinding Doryare the biggest bets in terms of nominations—Disney or Pixar has won 7 out of the last 10 years—but I’ll admit there are plenty on this list I still haven’t seen.
Take a look at all 27 eligible films below, and sound off with your predictions/favorites in the comments. Nominations are announced on January 24th and the Oscar ceremony is on February 26th.
The Angry Birds Movie
April and the Extraordinary World
Finding Dory
Ice Age: Collision Course
Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV
Kubo and the Two Strings
Kung Fu Panda 3
The Little Prince
Long Way North
Miss Hokusai
Mokney King: Hero Is Back
Mustafa & the Magician
My Life as a Zucchni
Phantom Boy
The Red Turtle
Sausage Party
The Secret Life of Pets
Your Name.
