Twenty-Five Animated Features Submitted for 2019 Oscars Best Animated Feature
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has received 25 animated feature submissions vying for a place on the Oscars shortlist for Best Animated Feature at the 2019 Academy Awards, which are scheduled for 24 February 2019. The Academy announced the list on 24 October 2018, and the lineup includes a mix of major studio blockbusters, independent films and several international entries that reflect the wide range of storytelling and animation styles now competing for the award.
This year’s submissions bring together established franchises, auteur-driven projects and festival darlings. High-profile studio tentpoles such as Incredibles 2 and Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation appear alongside more independent and critically noted films like Isle of Dogs and the much-anticipated sequel Ralph Breaks the Internet. The full list of submitted features highlights the breadth of contemporary animation, from family-oriented comedies to experimental and adult-focused animated storytelling.
Below is the complete list of the 25 animated features submitted to the Academy for consideration in the Best Animated Feature category:
- Ana y Bruno
- Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch
- Early Man
- Fireworks
- Have a Nice Day
- Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation
- Incredibles 2
- Isle of Dogs
- The Laws of the Universe – Part I
- Liz and the Blue Bird
- Lu over the Wall
- MFKZ
- Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms
- Mirai
- The Night Is Short, Walk on Girl
- On Happiness Road
- Ralph Breaks the Internet
- Ruben Brandt, Collector
- Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero
- Sherlock Gnomes
- Smallfoot
- Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
- Tall Tales
- Teen Titans Go! To the Movies
- Tito and the Birds
The submitted features represent a wide range of animation techniques, from traditional hand-drawn and stop-motion to cutting-edge computer-generated imagery. Several titles on the list have already attracted critical attention and festival screenings, while others aim to reach mass audiences through major theatrical releases. The diversity among the entries underscores how animation is being used for everything from family entertainment to mature, art-house storytelling.
Not every animated film released in the eligibility period was submitted. Netflix elected not to qualify its animated films Next Gen and White Fang for the category. Additionally, the family hit Peter Rabbit, which was among the United Kingdom’s top-grossing animated releases of the year, did not appear on the Academy’s submission list. The reasons for these omissions vary by distributor and film, but the final submitted roster gives voters a focused list of contenders for the coming awards cycle.
All entries submitted for the Animated Feature category are also eligible for consideration in the Academy’s Best Picture category, which means an animated film can compete on multiple fronts if it gains enough support. Final nominees for the Oscars will be announced by the Academy on Tuesday, 22 January 2019, at which point the shortlist will be narrowed to the official nominees who will contend for the statuettes in late February.
For filmmakers and studios, making the Academy’s submission list is an important step in the awards campaign. It brings visibility among Academy voters and can help shape the conversation about the year’s best animated work. The next stages—shortlisting, nomination and final voting—will determine which of these 25 films will ultimately take home the Oscar for Best Animated Feature and whether any will cross over into broader awards categories.
The upcoming months will clarify which titles resonate most with Academy members and which films will secure nominations. Until the nominees are announced in January, this submitted list represents the official pool from which the 2019 Best Animated Feature contenders will be chosen.