^{Credit: Forgotten Island (DreamWorks Animation), Tangles (Giant Ant), Toy Story 5 (Pixar Animation Studios), Wildwood (Laika, Fathom Entertainment)}

It’s only July, but 2026 is already bound to go down as a banner year for animation. Even with several potential Best Animated Feature contenders currently in the ring, it feels like we’re just getting warmed up with numerous tentpoles and festival favorites on the horizon. With the race still up in the air, here are a few questions we should be asking as we approach the 99^th Academy Awards in 2027.  

^{Credit: Hexed (Walt Disney Animation Studios), Hoppers (Pixar Animation Studios), Toy Story 5 (Pixar Animation Studios)}

Can Disney Get Three Films In?

For years, Disney and Pixar dominated this category, but their stranglehold on Best Animated Feature has weakened as of late. Even post-Encanto, though, the Mouse has managed to get at least one nomination every year. Disney already has two strong contenders with Hoppers and Toy Story 5. One provided a much-needed box office victory for original animation, while the other proved there’s still value in this legacy franchise. Considering that Toy Story 3 and 4 are the only sequels that’ve won in this category, this fifth entry may be another frontrunner. Then again, Toy Story 5 could follow the same path as Finding Dory, another Pixar sequel that garnered critical acclaim and broke box office records. Both films even have Andrew Stanton as a director, but Finding Dory ultimately wasn’t nominated.

Of course, Finding Dory had to compete with two original Disney movies that became instant classics: Zootopia and Moana. While Hoppers is wonderful, it didn’t reach the same heights as Zootopia. Disney’s Hexed remains a wild card, although early buzz doesn’t suggest the next Moana. The fantasy adventure has faced behind-the-scenes shakeups, and the trailer has been described as generic at best. The same could be said about Tangled and Frozen, however.

I personally think some of the online discourse surrounding Hexed has been blown out of proportion. Even if Hexed does become the surprise hit of the holiday season, though, Disney may have their work cut out getting three films nominated. They’ve done it before, with Encanto getting nominated against Luca and Raya and the Last Dragon. As you’ll see throughout this article, though, 2026 is such a stacked year for animation that there just might not be room for three Disney films... or even two.

^{Credit: GOAT (Sony Pictures Animation)}

Will GOAT Continue Sony’s Hot Streak?

Sony Pictures Animation has been on a hot streak ever since the Oscar-winning Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Last year’s KPop Demon Hunters exceeded every expectation, capping off its victory lap with the Oscar. It’s kind of backwards that KPop Demon Hunters went straight to streaming while GOAT got a theatrical release. That’s not to say GOAT is a bad movie. Far from it, Tyree Dillihay’s film bursts with kinetic energy, depicting basketball - roarball - as only animation can. Let’s be honest, though. GOAT didn’t have the same cultural impact as KPop Demon Hunters, even with a solid box office run. Reviews should be strong enough to keep GOAT in the Best Animated Feature conversation. If the second half of 2026 delivers several bangers, though, Sony might get benched.

^{Credit: Iron Boy (Sony Pictures Classics), Lucy Lost  (Xilam Animation), The Violinist (Robot Playground Media, TV ON Producciones, Altri Occhi), Tangles (Giant Ant)}

Which Festival Players Will Factor In?

In past years, there’s usually been one or two festival players in the Oscar conversation. This year, international animation could practically have its own category. Cannes alone hosted nine animated features (Blaise, In Waves, Iron Boy, Jim Queen, Lucy Lost, Tangles, Vertiginous, Viva Carmen, and We Are Aliens). To qualify for Oscar consideration, though, these films need U.S. distribution. Two of the aforementioned picked up distribution out of Cannes. In Waves is headed to Netflix, while Iron Boy landed at Sony Pictures Classics. Iron Boy notably won a Special Jury Prize at Cannes’ Un Certain Regard.

At Annecy, Iron Boy took home three prizes, including the Audience Award for Best Feature. However, the Cristal for Best Feature went to The Violinist, a co-production between Singapore’s Robot Playground Media, Spain’s TV ON Producciones, and Italy’s Altri Occhi. Going up against several films that had already generated buzz at Cannes, The Violinist wasn’t on many radars heading into Annecy. With its Cristal victory, though, it’ll surely be a contender heading into awards season. Arco won the Cristal last year, while Memoir of a Snail won the year before. Both were nominated for the Oscar, and The Violinist may follow a similar trajectory. It doesn’t hurt that Raúl García, who co-directed The Violinist with Ervin Han, is beloved among his animation peers in the Academy.

On the heels of Annecy, The Violinist and Iron Boy are in the best positions to go from the festival circuit to the Oscars. There’s still room for other films to break through, however. While I’m still working through every festival player, my favorite thus far is Tangles, a deeply emotional family drama that centers on a matriarch losing herself to Alzheimer’s. With an all-star cast that includes Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, and Seth Rogen, among others, Tangles could resonate with the Academy’s largest voting bloc: actors. Like several of the aforementioned festival players, though, Tangles needs U.S. distribution. Which distributors will throw their hats in the ring?

^{Credit: All You Ned Is Kill, Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom, Decorado (GKIDS)}

Will GKIDS Pick Up Any More Films?

Between The Secret of Kells and The Boy and the Heron, GKIDS went from the little distributor that could to a certified Oscar winner. GKIDS has released a few acclaimed animated films in 2026, including All You Need Is Kill, Another World, and Decorado. Their Oscar push will probably be Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom. The last two Shaun the Sheep movies achieved near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes scores to go with their Oscar nominations. The Beast of Mossy Bottom might too, although GKIDS can pick up a few more films before the year’s out.

While this is pure speculation, I wouldn’t be surprised if GKIDS acquired Julián, given the distributor’s history with Cartoon Saloon. Lucy Lost could be a good fit for GKIDS, with an art style that calls Studio Ghibli to mind. GKIDS could also pick up Viva Carmen, having released Sébastien Laudenbach’s last directorial outing, Chicken for Linda!. With The Violinist winning at Annecy, maybe that will be GKIDS’ priority. Then again, GKIDS isn’t the only distributor that might be in the market for more Best Animated Feature contenders. Following their success with films like Arco and Robot Dreams, Neon may acquire an animated film this year. Netflix is another option, although their slate is pretty full. On that note…

^{Credit: In Waves, I Am Frankelda, Ray Gunn, Steps (Netflix)} 

Will Netflix Have Another Breakout Hit?

In addition to the aforementioned In Waves, Netflix distributed Mexico’s first stop-motion animated feature, I Am Frankelda, and the anime, Cosmic Princess Kaguya!. The streamer also has the fractured Cinderella story Steps on their docket. After a couple of misfires, Skydance Animation’s Swapped proved to be a surprise success for Netflix. If a Skydance film can nab Netflix an Oscar nomination, though, it’ll likely be Brad Bird’s longtime passion project, Ray Gunn. Since their debut film, Luck, Skydance has struggled to form an identity that distinguishes it from other animation studios. Ray Gunn could do for Skydance what Into the Spider-Verse did for Sony, standing out with a neo-noir style and a more mature tone.

Between The Incredibles, Ratatouille, and Incredibles 2, Bird has yet to miss a nomination since this category’s inception. We could theoretically see Bird go up against Andrew Stanton for Toy Story 5. John Lasseter is also a producer on Ray Gunn, meaning three Pixar alumni could be nominated this year. Interestingly, Paramount Skydance beat out Netflix in the bid for Warner Bros., putting Ray Gunn in a somewhat awkward position. Maybe that's why Netflix is releasing Ray Gunn on December 18, the same day as Avengers: Doomsday and Dune: Part III. Netflix also gave Ray Gunn's IMAX slot to David Fincher's The Adventures of Cliff Booth. 

This isn't to say that Netflix is burying Ray Gunn. The film headlined Netflix’s showcase at Annecy, where the reception was nothing short of ecstatic. If Ray Gunn is a hit, Netflix will give it the KPop Demon Hunters treatment as far as awards go. Even if Ray Gunn does emerge as a formidable awards player, though, it could be met with hesitation due to two individuals involved. In addition to Lasseter, whose name carries uneasy tension since his controversial Pixar exit, one of the film’s other producers is Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison. Ellison’s hostile takeover bid for WBD has been frowned upon across the industry, with many feeling it only stands to make the rich richer while countless jobs and opportunities are left on the chopping block.

Between Lasseter and Ellison, a few may refuse to vote for Ray Gunn out of protest. That said, if films like Midnight in Paris, Bohemian Rhapsody, and Hacksaw Edge have proved anything, it’s that the Academy can separate the artist from the art. If people love Ray Gunn, they’re going to vote for it, regardless of any baggage. Besides, Brad Bird is still a respected figure. As long as he’s the one doing most of the press for Ray Gunn, it can tiptoe around the producers, who may or may not share in the nomination anyway. 

^{Credit: Forgotten Island (DreamWorks Animation)}

Will Forgotten Island Be One to Remember?

The Super Mario Bros. Galaxy Movie may win Universal the Bank of America Award. Minions & Monsters was surprisingly delightful, with the Oscars even factoring into the plot. Universal’s best shot at an Oscar nomination, though, is DreamWorks’ Forgotten Island. Directors Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado previously worked on the Best Animated Feature-nominated Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. While nothing could beat Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio that year, The Last Wish perhaps came closer to a win than anyone could’ve anticipated. Residual goodwill from that sequel/spinoff could carry over to this original film about friendship and nostalgia. While Forgotten Island has yet to officially screen for critics, the footage shown at CinemaCon earlier this year ignited overwhelmingly positive reactions. The reception at Annecy was equally encouraging. As such, the question might not be whether or not Forgotten Island will get nominated, but rather, can it bring DreamWorks back into the winners' circle? They came close with The Wild Robot a couple of years ago. Forgotten Island may go all the way. 

^{Credit: Ketchup Entertainment, Warner Animation Group (*A Wholly Owned Subsidiary of The Acme Corporation)}

Will Coyote vs. Acme Qualify?

Coyote vs. Acme may be the most unique case for a few reasons. Although Looney Tunes was their flagship franchise for decades, Warner Bros. attempted to give this film the tax write-off treatment. Ketchup Entertainment thankfully saved Coyote vs. Acme, just as they did with The Day the Earth Blew Up. Considering how WB did the film dirty, one could imagine Oscar voters wanting to champion Coyote vs. Acme, especially if reviews and box office vindicate Ketchup’s acquisition. Even if the film is an overall success, Coyote vs. Acme mixes animation and live-action. Rules specify that animated characters need to appear in 75% of a film to qualify. Looney Tunes: Back in Action met this threshold back in 2003. While Back in Action wasn’t nominated, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On was a few years back. The Animation Branch isn’t above nominating a hybrid feature, but Coyote vs. Acme needs to qualify first. The Sheep Detectives may be in a similar position, although that one seems more live-action than animation.

In other Looney Tunes news, the short Daffy Season will be playing with The Cat in the Hat. Can we get Daffy Duck an Oscar nomination already?

^{Credit: Avatar: Aang, The Last Airbender (Paramount)}

Is There Still a Road to Oscar Eligibility For Avatar: Aang, The Last Airbender?

In yet another brilliant move from Paramount, The Angry Birds Movie 3 and Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie are both getting theatrical releases, while Avatar: Aang, The Last Airbender got downgraded to a streaming exclusive. I wanted to believe that the outcry across social media might convince Paramount to give Avatar: Aang the big-screen treatment as originally planned. With an online leak already exposing the film to millions, though, Paramount has even less reason to theatrically distribute it. At this point, Avatar: Aang would have to do KPop Demon Hunters numbers on Paramount+ to warrant a last-minute qualifying Oscar run. With that being highly unlikely, Avatar: Aang can always compete for an Emmy instead.

^{Credit: Wildwood (Laika, Fathom Entertainment)}

Can Laika Finally Win with Wildwood?

From Coraline to Missing Link, Laika has been nominated for every feature it’s produced thus far. They arguably came close to a win with Kubo and the Two Strings, which brought Travis Knight the BAFTA. Knight returns to direct Wildwood, an adaptation of  Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis’ book that has been in Laika’s pipeline for over a decade. For many, this fantasy epic is their most anticipated animated movie of the year. This is reflected in its teaser trailer, which has accumulated almost 90 million views on YouTube. For context, the Toy Story 5 trailer, which was released months earlier, has over 23 million views on Pixar’s YouTube page.

That’s not to say Wildwood will come close to outgrossing Toy Story 5, but if hits like Obsession and Backrooms proved anything this year, it’s that a strong online presence can translate to big box office. Granted, Laika has generally performed better critically than financially. Wildwood also lacks a traditional distributor. Fathom Entertainment, which also handled the release of The Amazing Digital Circus: The Last Act, is giving Wildwood a theatrical release. Fathom has never been an Oscar player in the past. If reviews live up to expectations and audiences show up, though, the work will be half done for Fathom in terms of campaigning. With Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio winning a few years ago, now seems like Laika’s turn.

So What’s Getting Nominated?

Of the animated films released so far this year, Toy Story 5 has the box office, reviews, and timely tech commentary to make the Oscar lineup. Unless it misses at several key precursor awards like Finding Dory did, I’m not betting against a Toy Story movie. If Wildwood and Forgotten Island meet expectations, either could emerge as the frontrunner. As for international animation, The Violinist seems to be playing all the right notes after Annecy. With Iron Boy also doing quite well on the festival circuit, my instincts tell me that it’ll get the final slot. Yet, my heart keeps telling me that Tangles can still gain momentum, especially if its cast hits the campaign trail with the filmmakers. Iron Boy, Ray Gunn, and Hoppers are also very much in this, heating up what’s sure to be one of the tightest races this Oscar season.  

Best Animated Feature Predictions: 
1.    Wildwood
2.    Forgotten Island
3.    Toy Story 5
4.    The Violinist 
5.    Tangles

Runner-Ups:
1.    Iron Boy
2.    Ray Gunn
3.    Hoppers
4.    Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom
5.    In Waves

Dark Horses:
1.    Lucy Lost 
2.    GOAT
3.    Coyote vs. Acme
4.    Minions & Monsters  
5.    Hexed

Other Possible Contenders:
All You Need Is Kill
The Amazing Digital Circus: The Last Act 
The Angry Birds Movie 3
Animal Farm
Another World 
Asterix: The Kingdom of Nubia
Avatar: Aang, The Last Airbender
Blaise
The Cat in the Hat
Charlie the Wonderdog
Chimney Town: Frozen in Time
Cosmic Princess Kaguya
Decorado 
I Am Frankelda
Jim Queen 
Julián
The Keeper of the Camphor Tree
Labyrinth
The Last Whale Singer 
A New Dawn
Paris ni Saku Étoile
Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie
The Pout-Pout Fish
Steps
The Sunrise File
Super Mario Bros. Galaxy Movie 
Swapped
Tana
Vertiginous 
Viva Carmen
We Are Aliens

Nick Spake is the Author of Bright & Shiny: A History of Animation at Award Shows Volumes 1, 2, and 3. Available Now!