‘Rise of the Planet of the Apes’ Among 15 Films in Running for Visual Effects Oscars

The final “Harry Potter” movie and “Hugo” also in the Academy’s initial mix

The superhero community, typically united in the common goal of fighting crime, are battling each other in the Oscars race.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences released its list of 15 films that are in the running for the Achievement in Visual Effects award at the 84th Academy Awards. Among the contenders: The men-in-tights offerings "Captain America: The First Avenger," "Thor" and "X-Men: First Class."

Also in the mix: "Rise of the Planet of the Apes," which could be considered something of a favorite at this early stage, along with Martin Scorsese's "Hugo," "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" and Terrence Malick's "The Tree of Life," which features a 20-minute creation-of-the-universe sequence.

The list contained almost all of the films considered to be likely contenders for the award. Among those that didn't make the cut: "Immortals," "The Green Lantern" and Roland Emmerich's "Anonymous," which used visual effects to recreate the London of Shakespeare's day.

The Academy's Visual Effects Branch Executive Committee, which compiled the list of 15 films, will whittle its choices down to 10 early next month.

On Jan. 19, members of the Academy's Visual Effects Branch will stage a "bakeoff" at which they'll screen 10-minute excerpts from each of those 10 films, then vote to nominate five.

The nominations for the 84th Academy Awards will be announced on Jan. 24.

The full initial list of Achievement in Visual Effects contenders are presented below, in alphabetical order.

"Captain America: The First Avenger"
"Cowboys & Aliens"
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2"
"Hugo"
"Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol"
"Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides"
"Real Steel"
"Rise of the Planet of the Apes"
"Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows"
"Sucker Punch"
"Super 8"
"Thor"
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon"
"The Tree of Life"
"X-Men: First Class"

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