Breaking Down The Competitive 2026 Oscar Race For Best Animated Feature

This year’s Best Animated Feature race this year is shaping up to be one of the most competitive in recent memory. While animated movies often comprise some of the year’s finest films, there seems to be no shortage of well-liked or outright acclaimed contenders. From Cannes titles like “Iron Boy” and “Tangles” to Pixar releases like “Hoppers” and “Toy Story 5,” and even films with incredible narratives behind them like “Wildwood” and “Coyote vs. Acme,” there are so many contenders in Best Animated Feature this year that picking only 5 seems impossible.

“Wildwood”If there is one lock in this category, it is “Wildwood.” Laika’s newest feature is the studio’s first to receive a PG-13 rating, but the acclaim for this adventure epic speaks for itself. Boasting a score of 86 on Metacritic and rave reviews for its breathtaking artistry and palpable soul, it’s the only surefire nominee in this category. Laika has earned Best Animated Feature nominations for each of its five previous films, but the stop-motion animation studio has yet to win an Oscar. While its PG-13 rating may limit box office returns, the film has undeniable passion and seems likely to lead regional critics’ awards. While the Academy could always default to “Toy Story 5,” Oscar voters have recently gone for the film with more critical acclaim in a tight Best Animated Feature race. As competitive as this category is, “Wildwood” is the clear frontrunner at this point in the season.

“Toy Story 5”Considering that every “Toy Story” film made since the introduction of the Best Animated Feature category has won it, “Toy Story 5” should, at the very least, be safe in the lineup. Having crossed the $1 billion mark at the global box office, it will no doubt be the most financially successful contender in the race. However, the movie has the franchise’s least enthusiastic critical scores to date and the disadvantage of being one of the earliest contenders released. Could that and its seeming lack of passion cause it to be forgotten by Oscar voters? Probably not, but these factors do hurt its chances at continuing the “Toy Story” franchise’s winning streak.

“Hoppers”While releasing in June may not prevent “Toy Story 5” from receiving an Oscar nomination, “Hoppers” came out in March. It is by far the least recent of the films contending for a nomination in Best Animated Feature and runs a significant risk of being left out of the conversation. Original Pixar films almost always get into Best Animated Feature – the only exception is “The Good Dinosaur,” which is widely perceived as one of the studio’s weakest efforts to date – but the Best Animated Feature race is rarely this stacked. What helps the case for “Hoppers,” aside from the fact that it was just shy of grossing $400 million worldwide, is how distinct it feels. It may not be cited as one of Pixar’s best films, but many would agree that it is one of the studio’s funniest. It’s a well-liked film, and it’s hard to see it join “The Good Dinosaur” as the only original Pixar films to miss a Best Animated Feature nod, even though films like “Elio” and “Elemental” still managed to squeak in.

“Iron Boy”Of the three animated films that premiered at Cannes, “Iron Boy” seems like the most likely nominee. Sony Pictures Classics is primed to launch a campaign for this earnest film that has won over quite a few audiences. Signs already suggest it will be the most heavily pushed Cannes title, as it played at TIFF, NYFF, and LFF after its premiere and has maintained strong word-of-mouth. It may not be as emotionally devastating as the other Cannes titles in this race, but that could work in its favor, as its lightness makes it all the more likable.

“Tangles”When reactions to “Tangles” first dropped, it seemed like a shoo-in for a nomination. The tender tearjerker about a woman dealing with her mother’s Alzheimer’s disease premiered to rave reviews. However, the fact that IFC picked it up only in mid-August raises some eyebrows. If enough people can see it, the film makes complete sense as a nominee: audience reactions at Cannes and TIFF were quite strong! But will it be campaigned and screened heavily enough to remain in the conversation for the nomination?

“In Waves”The other tearjerker at Cannes was “In Waves,” a sentimental tale of love and loss set on the beaches of Los Angeles. Netflix bought the film at Cannes, but its buzz has been surprisingly muted since its festival premiere. While it played at TIFF, it felt less discussed than its fellow Cannes premieres “Iron Boy” and “Tangles.” Its main problem is that it is neither a priority for high-brow audiences nor for Netflix, which seems to be putting all its weight behind “Ray Gunn.” Perhaps it will see a wave of support as the winter awards tide rises, but the race feels too stacked with passion picks for a concerted push for this film.

“Ray Gunn”Brad Bird, famous for “The Incredibles,” is back with “Ray Gunn,” a stylish neo-noir with a starry cast and a slick sci-fi hook. Barring a surprise surge for “In Waves,” it is undoubtedly Netflix’s top animated contender this year. Since 2019, Netflix has always landed at least one film in the Best Animated Feature lineup, and there is no reason that should change for a Brad Bird film with solid reviews. It could even be propelled to a win if it becomes a sensation once it’s available to stream, though it lacks fervor in its reviews at the moment.

“Coyote vs. Acme”
If there is a dark horse contender in this race, it is no doubt “Coyote vs. Acme.” Yes, the fact that it features animated characters interacting with live-action characters in live-action environments means many might not even consider it an animated film. But it is allegedly eligible for Best Animated Feature, and if critics’ groups champion it the same way they did with “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On,” its path to a nomination becomes quite clear. “Coyote vs. Acme” arguably has the best narrative of any animated film in contention: after Warner Bros. shelved it for a $30 million tax write-off, Ketchup Entertainment rescued it, and it went on to gross over $100 million worldwide. It also doesn’t hurt that the film has a loud, passionate fanbase.

“Forgotten Island”“Forgotten Island” is as much a love letter to Filipino culture as it is to friendship, and it’s bursting with imagination in every frame. Those who have seen this film are vocal about their love for it. However, it has had a muted box office relative to expectations. Its legs are decent thanks to strong word-of-mouth, but it’s not quite the sensation some expected. The real test is whether it can consistently show up at critics’ groups, as it has so many alternatives that it needs a dominant presence to overcome its somewhat lacking viewership.

“Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom”“Toy Story” is not the only franchise hoping to continue a stellar awards streak, as the first two “Shaun the Sheep” films were nominated for Best Animated Feature. Six years after “A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon,” “Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom” released to decent reviews. The problem is that the discussion around the film feels quite muted, despite it coming out in theaters over a month ago. As much as films like “Hoppers” and “Toy Story 5” risk being forgotten, it doesn’t feel like “Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom” even had a moment to be remembered. Oscar voters could love “Shaun the Sheep” enough to reward its third installment with an Oscar nomination, but that’s currently the only major factor in this film’s favor.

“Hexed”Disney has had a strange relationship with audiences this decade. “Encanto” and “Zootopia 2” were major successes, but films like “Wish” and “Strange World” were also releases the average moviegoer would likely struggle to name. The trailer for “Hexed” looks promising enough, but anticipation for this film is fairly low after Disney’s less-than-stellar track record lately. If it garners solid critical scores and an impressive box office, it will no doubt contend for a nomination. If it can’t do both, it’s unlikely to make a dent this late in the awards season.

“Minions & Monsters”The “Despicable Me” franchise has historically had a bumpy awards trajectory. “Despicable Me 2” is the only film in the series to be nominated for Best Animated Feature, though “Despicable Me” and “Minions” received BAFTA nods. But while most of the franchise’s entries aren’t critically acclaimed, “Minions & Monsters” has cultivated quite a bit of passion from film nerds due to how much of a love letter to cinema it is. The entire first half is homage after homage to classic films, and it delighted critics and audiences alike. But because it came out in the summer – and grossed far less than the previous two “Minions” films – the buzz for it seems to have died down in the wake of flashier contenders. “Minions & Monsters” could certainly make a comeback, but because this franchise has already been overlooked so often, its chances seem slim.