The Academy has narrowed down the list of contenders in the Oscars’ Best Visual Effects category to 20, with most of the expected VFX heavy hitters now competing for a spot on the 10-film shortlist that will be announced the week of Dec. 12.
The list of 20 includes “The Jungle Book,” which consists of a cast of largely computer-generated animals, as well as the comic book films “Doctor Strange,” “Captain America: Civil War” and “X-Men: Apocalypse.”
Also on the list: “Rogue One,” “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” “The BFG” and “Passengers.”
The most surprising entry on the list is Laika’s stop-motion animated epic “Kubo and the Two Strings,” which is the first animated film to advance in the Oscar VFX race.
Among the films missing from the list are two well-received movies that feature kids who befriend huge CG creatures, “A Monster Calls” and “Pete’s Dragon.”
The list of films was determined by the Academy’s Visual Effects Branch Executive Committee. That same committee will now narrow the list to 10, and excerpts from those 10 will be screened for all members of the branch to determine the five nominees.
Oscar nominations will be announced on Tuesday, Jan. 24, and the Academy Awards will take place on Feb. 26.
The eligible VFX contenders:
“Alice through the Looking Glass”
“Arrival”
“The BFG”
“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”
“Captain America: Civil War”
“Deadpool”
“Deepwater Horizon”
“Doctor Strange”
“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”
“Independence Day: Resurgence”
“The Jungle Book”
“Kubo and the Two Strings”
“Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children”
“Passengers”
“Rogue One”
“Star Trek Beyond”
“Suicide Squad”
“Sully”
“Warcraft”
“X-Men: Apocalypse”