^{Credit: KPop Demon Hunters (Netflix, Sony Pictures Animation), Arco (Neon)}

According to Variety, 317 films are eligible for consideration at the 98th Academy Awards. Among them, 201 have been deemed eligible for Best Picture. The lengthy list includes several animated films, such as The Bad Guys 2, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle, Dog Man, Elio, Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie, Little Amélie or the Character of Rain, Scarlet, and Zootopia 2. Two absences, in particular, stand out among this year’s animated offerings: KPop Demon Hunters and Arco.

Arco and KPop Demon Hunters are still eligible for consideration in other Oscar categories, most notably Best Animated Feature. Neither can contend for the top Oscar, however. While it was always a long shot that KPop Demon Hunters would be nominated for Best Picture, there was an argument to be made given its immense popularity and cultural impact. Last October, Cartoon Contender contemplated whether KPop Demon Hunters could get into Best Picture. Now we have our definitive answer.

Although KPop Demon Hunters was given a limited theatrical run that qualified it for Best Animated Feature, it reportedly didn't play in enough markets to compete in Best Picture. KPop Demon Hunters isn’t the only Netflix animated film missing from this list. In Your Dreams, Fixed, Lost in Starlight, and The Twits ​​are also ineligible for Best Picture, although Netflix gave live-action films like Frankenstein qualifying releases. It's no secret that the Academy has a bias against animated films competing for Best Picture. When the studio backing an animated film won't even give it a proper push, though, what do you expect? This also brings up yet another disadvantage in Netflix's streaming-first model. They left untold millions on the table by not keeping KPop Demon Hunters in theaters longer. As for whether or not it could've surprised with a Best Picture nomination, we'll never know.  

At least KPop Demon Hunters can still get nominations for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song (“Golden”) at the Oscars. That’s more than can be said about its prospects at the BAFTAs, where the film is ineligible in every category due to its mishandled theatrical distribution. BAFTA recently announced their longlist for Best Animated Film, which includes Arco, The Bad Guys 2, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle, Elio, Little Amélie or the Character of Rain, and Zootopia 2.

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