Oscar for Best Animated Feature 2025

[Sotiris]

Previously: Oscar for Best Animated Feature 2024

The eligible features for the 2025 Academy Awards are the following.

100 Meters
All You Need Is Kill
Animal Farm
Another World
Arco
The Bad Guys 2
Boys Go to Jupiter
ChaO
Colorful Stage! The Movie: A Miku Who Can't Sing
David
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba — Infinity Castle
Dog Man
Dog of God
Dragon Heart: Adventures Beyond This World
Elio
Fixed
Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie
Hola Frida
In Your Dreams
K-Pop: Demon Hunters
The King of Kings
The Legend of Hei II
Lesbian Space Princess
Light of the World
Little Amélie or the Character of Rain
Lost in Starlight
A Magnificent Life
Mononoke the Movie: The Ashes of Rage
Ne Zha 2
Plankton: The Movie
The Rose of Versailles
Scarlet
Slide
Smurfs
The Sneetches
Sneaks
The SpongeBob Movie: Search for Squarepants
Stardust Future: Stars and Scars
Stitch Head
The Twits
The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep
Zootopia 2


Notes

• Animation Mixtape received a limited theatrical release in the U.S. on August 29, 2025 but not an Oscar-qualifying run.

• Attack on Titan: The Last Attack received a limited theatrical release in the U.S. on February 10, 2025 but not an Oscar-qualifying run.

• Avatar: Fire and Ash which was released in the U.S. on December 19, 2025 may not be eligible since it is an animated/live-action hybrid.

• Boonie Bears: Time Twist received a limited theatrical release in the U.S. on January 24, 2025 but not an Oscar-qualifying run.

• Chainsaw Man: The Movie — Reze Arc received a limited theatrical release in the U.S. on October 29, 2025 but not an Oscar-qualifying run.

• Dan Da Dan: Evil Eye received a limited theatrical release in the U.S. on June 06, 2025 but not an Oscar-qualifying run.

• Detective Conan: The Black Iron Submarine received a limited theatrical release in the U.S. on July 05, 2025 but not an Oscar-qualifying run.

• Dora: Magic Mermaid Adventures received a limited theatrical release in the U.S. on October 03, 2025 but not an Oscar-qualifying run.

• Elli and Her Monster Team received a limited theatrical release in the U.S. on September 12, 2025 but not an Oscar-qualifying run.

• Exorcism Chronicles: The Beginning received a limited theatrical release in the U.S. on October 17, 2025 but not an Oscar-qualifying run.

• Given: The Double Album — Hiiragi Mix & To the Sea received a limited theatrical release in the U.S. on June 16, 2025 but not an Oscar-qualifying run.

• Grand Prix of Europe received a limited theatrical release in the U.S. on August 22, 2025 but not an Oscar-qualifying run.

• How To Train Your Dragon which was released in the U.S. on June 13, 2025 may not be eligible since it is an animated/live-action hybrid.

• Hypnosis Mic: Division Rap Battle — The Movie received a limited theatrical release in the U.S. on July 03, 2025 but not an Oscar-qualifying run.

• Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution received a limited theatrical release in the U.S. on December 05, 2025 but not an Oscar-qualifying run.

• Jujutsu Kaisen: Hidden Inventory / Premature Death — The Movie received a limited theatrical release in the U.S. on July 16, 2025 but not an Oscar-qualifying run.

• Kaiju No. 8: Mission Recon received a limited theatrical release in the U.S. on April 13, 2025 but not an Oscar-qualifying run.

• The Legend of Ochi which was released in the U.S. on April 25, 2025 may not be eligible since it is an animated/live-action hybrid.

• Lilo & Stitch which was released in the U.S. on May 23, 2025 may not be eligible since it is an animated/live-action hybrid.

• A Minecraft Movie which was released in the U.S. on April 04, 2025 may not be eligible since it is an animated/live-action hybrid.

• Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid: A Lonely Dragon Wants to Be Loved received a limited theatrical release in the U.S. on October 20, 2025 but not an Oscar-qualifying run.

• Mobile Suit Gundam: GQuuuuuuX — Beginning received a limited theatrical release in the U.S. on February 28, 2025 but not an Oscar-qualifying run.

• Night of the Zoopocalypse received a limited theatrical release in the U.S. on March 07, 2025 but not an Oscar-qualifying run.

• Overlord: A Celebration of the Anime's 10th Anniversary received a limited theatrical release in the U.S. on November 17, 2025 but not an Oscar-qualifying run.

• Paddington in Peru which was released in the U.S. on February 14, 2025 may not be eligible since it is an animated/live-action hybrid.

• Peppa Meets the Baby received a limited theatrical release in the U.S. on May 30, 2025 but not an Oscar-qualifying run.

• Pets on a Train received a limited theatrical release in the U.S. on October 17, 2025 but not an Oscar-qualifying run.

• Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass received a limited theatrical release in the U.S. on August 29, 2025 but not an Oscar-qualifying run.

• Sink Your Teeth: A Tokyo Ghoul Celebration received a limited theatrical release in the U.S. on July 21, 2025 but not an Oscar-qualifying run.

• A Sloth Story received a limited theatrical release in the U.S. on February 28, 2025 but not an Oscar-qualifying run.

• Snow White which was released in the U.S. on March 21, 2025 may not be eligible since it is an animated/live-action hybrid.

• Time Hoppers: The Silk Road received a limited theatrical release in the U.S. in Fall 2025 but not an Oscar-qualifying run.

• A Tooth Fairy Tale received a limited theatrical release in the U.S. on May 02, 2025 but not an Oscar-qualifying run.

• Tron: Ares which was released in the U.S. on October 10, 2025 may not be eligible since it is an animated/live-action hybrid.

• Uma Musume Pretty Derby: Beginning of a New Era received a limited theatrical release in the U.S. on July 06, 2025 but not an Oscar-qualifying run.

• Uta no Prince-sama: Taboo Night XXXX received a limited theatrical release in the U.S. on July 03, 2025 but not an Oscar-qualifying run.

• Virgin Punk Clockwork Girl received a limited theatrical release in the U.S. on November 11, 2025 but not an Oscar-qualifying run.

• Witch Watch: Watch Party received a limited theatrical release in the U.S. on March 16, 2025 but not an Oscar-qualifying run.

[Sotiris]

Coming Attractions: 25 Animated Movies to Catch in 2025
https://www.animationmagazine.net/2024/ ... h-in-2025/

Upcoming Animated Movies Calendar: A Look At 2025 Feature Animation Releases
https://www.cartoonbrew.com/feature-fil ... 44717.html

2025 Animated Movies Preview
https://www.indiewire.com/features/anim ... 235083417/

[Sotiris]

Here are my very early predictions for next year's Oscar nominees. A lot could change in a year, especially since the release slate is still in flux.

Frontrunners

Elio
Zootopia 2
A Magnificent Life
Scarlet
Fixed

Contenders

The Twits
K-Pop: Demon Hunters
In Your Dreams
Lost in Starlight
Little Amélie or the Character of Rain
ChaO
Another World
All You Need Is Kill
100 Meters

Possibilities

Pookoo
Dog Man
The Bad Guys 2
Smurfs
The SpongeBob Movie: Search for Squarepants

[Disney's Divinity]

I didn't know they were making a film out of Dahl's The Twits. I always loved that book growing up.

[D23ExpoVisitor25]

These are my predictions for the Oscars 2025 Best Animated Feature frontrunners:

Elio
Zootopia 2
Wildwood
Fixed
Light of the World

[Sotiris]

Annecy 2025 Official Feature Film Selections Revealed
https://www.awn.com/news/annecy-2025-of ... s-revealed

'Arco,' 'The Night Boots' Take Top Awards at Annecy 2025
https://www.awn.com/news/arco-night-boo ... nnecy-2025

Animation Is Film Festival Announces 2025 Lineup
https://www.awn.com/news/animation-film ... 025-lineup

European Film Awards Reveals Animated Feature Shortlist
https://www.animationmagazine.net/2025/ ... shortlist/

18th Asia Pacific Screen Awards Nominations Announced
https://www.asiapacificscreenawards.com ... -announced

[Sotiris]

Academy Sets New Oscars Rules for 2025: You Need to Watch All Nominated Films to Vote in a Category
https://variety.com/2025/film/awards/os ... 236374012/

Oscars New Voting Rule Explained: How the Academy Plans to Enforce Mandatory Viewing
https://variety.com/2025/film/awards/os ... 236375352/

Oscars’ New Rule Requiring Voters to Watch All Nominees Could Reshape Awards Campaigning, but Academy Members Already Found Loopholes
https://variety.com/2025/film/awards/os ... 236380799/

[Farerb]

This year has been atrocious so far, I honestly believe Zootopia 2 has it in the bag unless it turns out to be awful.

[PatchofBlue]

I haven't gotten around to K-Pop Demon Hunters yet, but it seems to be making enough waves that it might pull off a surprise win.

(I'm also on the ELIO train, but I seem to be the only one. At this point, I'll just be grateful if it gets nominated. I really hope so, I don't want it to land in the same crater as Good Dinosaur.)

[Farerb]

I haven't gotten around to K-Pop Demon Hunters yet, but it seems to be making enough waves that it might pull off a surprise win.

(I'm also on the ELIO train, but I seem to be the only one. At this point, I'll just be grateful if it gets nominated. I really hope so, I don't want it to land in the same crater as Good Dinosaur.)

I know that the movie is getting hyped but I didn't think it was great. However, I know that my taste is very different to what people like nowadays. The movie might be nominated, but I don't think it's the kind of movie that can win. Too hyperactive and too much style over substance. It was sort of a combination of Turning Red and Mitchells vs the Machines, so if you like those films, you're probably going to like this one as well. I also felt the animation was choppy, probably intentional, but it's distracting to me, I also feel that animators nowadays have a tendency to move many objects and characters and doing it frequently, you don't get nuance from the characters anymore.

I also think Elio might have a chance to be nominated because it's an okay movie in a dreadful year. As far as winning goes, I think it's either Zootopia 2 or some indie movie with great reviews to the point it gets attention from the Academy like what happened with Flow last year.

[Kyle]

Did demon hunters even get a theatrical run? It would need that to even qualify.

[Sotiris]

Did demon hunters even get a theatrical run? It would need that to even qualify.

Yes, it received a limited theatrical run from June 20-June 26 which qualifies it for Oscar consideration. Netflix does that for films they plan on submitting to the Oscars.

[PatchofBlue]

The movie might be nominated, but I don't think it's the kind of movie that can win. Too hyperactive and too much style over substance. It was sort of a combination of Turning Red and Mitchells vs the Machines, so if you like those films, you're probably going to like this one as well.

Hm ... loved Turning Red, but hated Mitchells vs the Machines, so I don't know where that puts me.

[Sotiris]

Latvia has selected an animated film as their entry for the International Feature Film category at this year's Oscars. This marks the first time a country has done so for two consecutive years. This raises the total amount of animated entries in the history of the category to thirty.

1953: France, Johnny the Giant Killer
1975: Belgium, Tarzoon: Shame of the Jungle
1982: Romania, Quo Vadis Homo Sapiens?
1986: Hungary, Cat City
1994: Japan, Pom Poko
1997: Croatia, Lapitch the Little Shoemaker
1997: Japan, Princess Mononoke
1999: Argentina, Manuelita
2002: Chile, Ogu and Mampato on Easter Island
2005: Luxembourg, Renart the Fox
2007: France, Persepolis
2008: Israel, Waltz with Bashir (nominated)
2011: Czech Republic, Alois Nebel
2011: Singapore, Tatsumi
2013: Uruguay, Anina
2014: Latvia, Rocks in My Pockets
2015: Palestine, The Wanted 18
2016: Switzerland, My Life as a Zucchini
2019: China, Ne Zha
2019: Japan, Weathering With You
2021: Denmark, Flee (nominated)
2022: Armenia, Aurora’s Sunrise
2022: Canada, Eternal Spring
2022: Kenya, TeraStorm
2022: Luxembourg, Icarus
2023: Hungary, Four Souls of Coyote
2023: Poland, The Peasants
2023: The Philippines, The Missing
2024: Latvia, Flow (nominated)
2024: Pakistan, The Glassworker
2025: Latvia, Dog of God


Dog of God will also be submitted in the Best Animated Feature category, making it the 13th animated film to ever compete in both categories.

Persepolis (2007)
Waltz with Bashir (2008)
Alois Nebel (2011)
Rocks in My Pockets (2014)
My Life as a Zucchini (2016)
Weathering With You (2019)
Ne Zha (2019)
Flee (2021)
Eternal Spring (2022)
The Peasants (2023)
Flow (2024)
The Glassworker (2024)
Dog of God (2025)

[Sotiris]

Predictions.

2026 Oscar Predictions: Best Animated Feature
https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-a ... ed-feature

2026 Oscar Predictions: Animated Feature
https://variety.com/lists/2026-oscars-p ... feature-8/

2026 Oscar Predictions: Best Animated Feature
https://www.indiewire.com/lists/2026-os ... d-feature/

It’s A Wide Open Year For Best Animated Feature At The 2026 Academy Awards…For Now
https://nextbestpicture.com/its-a-wide- ... s-for-now/

This year’s ‘Flow’? Why ‘Scarlet’ is leading ‘Zootopia 2,’ ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ in our early Animated Feature odds
https://www.goldderby.com/film/2025/sca ... n-hunters/

How ‘Demon Slayer,’ ‘Gabby’s Dollhouse,’ ‘Scarlet,’ and ‘Zootopia 2’ are heating up the Best Animated Feature race
https://www.goldderby.com/film/2025/osc ... zootopia2/

Can Anything Stop ‘KPop Demon Hunters’? And Other Burning 2026 Oscars Questions
https://www.cartoonbrew.com/feature-fil ... 55509.html

Creators of ‘KPop Demon Hunters,’ ‘The Bad Guys,’ ‘In Your Dreams’ and ‘The Willoughbys’ Take on the Future of Storytelling
https://variety.com/2025/film/global/vi ... 236553750/

[Sotiris]

Will Aaron Blaise be able to achieve what Andreas Deja and John Musker couldn't and secure a nomination? Let's hope so.

2026 Oscars Short Film Contenders: ‘Snow Bear’ Director Aaron Blaise
https://www.cartoonbrew.com/shorts/2026 ... 55194.html

[Farerb]

My money is still on Zootopia 2, especially with its illegal immigrants allegory.

[PatchofBlue]

I think Zootopia 2 may end up being a significant turning point here in Disney history especially as the company is ping-ponging between trying to be in the woke kids while also earning favor with the anti-woke kids while also trying not to get both sides to cancel Disney+ while also ... while also

Everything we've seen from the film has indicated that the movie is not at all going to shy away from the political/sociological undertones that made the first film such a critical darling. And we haven't heard anything about executives ordering animators to clean up the film to make it "woke-proof" like they did with Win or Lose or might be doing with Hoppers.

If the elites like it enough to give it the trophy, that might give Disney enough confidence to pitch their tent back in the more socially aware campgrounds, backpedaling Iger's whole "we need to be an entertainment first" doctrine over the last few years.

[Sotiris]

My money is still on Zootopia 2, especially with its illegal immigrants allegory.

Zootopia 2 is the one to beat, for sure. K-Pop: Demon Hunters has been very successful—breaking records, garnering headlines, and even getting labeled as Netflix's Frozen—which will not go unnoticed by the Academy. It will probably get nominated, but given how commercial and fan-oriented it is, I doubt it will win. Arco may also prove to be a threat. It's the only indie contender that's gaining buzz and the Academy is more open to awarding foreign films lately.

[Farerb]

KPop Demon Hunters might win if Zootopia 2 turns out to be mediocre like Moana 2 but I don't think that'll be the case. Although we shouldn't forget that the academy also doesn't care much for sequels (except Toy Story sequels). I think KPop has a good chance at winning Best Original Song.