The 2026 Best Animated Feature Oscar race is shaping up to be one of the weakest lineups in recent memory. Unlike past years where an acclaimed film took the category by storm, this year feels muddled, with no film truly standing out as the clear favorite.
It’s not that there aren’t contenders — no matter how weak the films are, there always will be. It’s more that none of them have the critical raves or box-office firepower to separate themselves from the pack.
The last great hope to find a front-runner comes to us via Disney’s “Zootopia 2,” which premiered last night with a select few press in attendance. Scrolling through the reactions, it’s the usual suspects — untrustworthy influencers who rave about anything as long as they can attend the premiere and continue to have first access.
However, two notable names that I trust were in attendance: The Playlist’s Gregory Ellwood and The Wrap’s Drew Taylor. Both raved about “Zootopia 2.” I’ll take their word for it. This might be the one.
It’s rare for animated sequels to surpass the original, but the “Toy Story” franchise is the standout exception. Some also like “Shrek 2” better than its predecessor (I don’t). Otherwise, “Zootopia” has its work cut out for it, as expectations are fairly high for the sequel, plainly titled “Zootopia 2.”
No doubt about it, “Zootopia 2” will make boatloads of cash. The original, released in 2016, is more or less an animated classic, met with near-unanimous acclaim by audiences and critics (98% on Rotten Tomatoes, and 8/10 on IMDb). The original earned $1 billion at the box office, and the sequel could equal or surpass that number.
If Ellwood and Taylor are correct in their assessments of “Zootopia 2,” then this means the Animated Oscar is no longer “K-Pop Demon Hunter’s” to lose. No matter how big that film might be — and it was a cultural phenomenon — its mostly positive reviews didn’t necessarily translate into raves.
Among the likely nominees:
“KPop Demon Hunters” — Netflix’s anime-inspired musical actioner has energy, and it certainly helps its cause that it’s the most-watched movie in Netflix history (300M+ views). A cultural phenomenon, sure, but Best Animated Film? Given the weak year, it’s the current frontrunner.
“Zootopia 2” — Disney’s sequel is expected to land a nomination sight unseen. The first film won the Oscar back in 2017, and the sequel is starting to be screened. It might very well be “KPop’s” biggest opponent come Oscar night.
“Scarlet” — Mamoru Hosoda’s latest earned polite notices on the festival circuit but hardly the kind of raves needed to build momentum. Visually striking, yes, but narratively it hasn’t made waves. Still, Hosoda is immensely respected.
“Arco” — A smaller international effort that could slide in if voters are looking for something different, though visibility is a question mark. It certainly helps that the English-language version’s cast features Natalie Portman, Mark Ruffalo, America Ferrara, Will Ferrell, Andy Samberg, and Flea.
“Ne Zha 2” — The Chinese blockbuster sequel was a commercial powerhouse at home, but its chances with the Academy depend heavily on whether voters are as won over by the heavily mythic Chinese story.
“Little Amelie” — A French-Belgian arthouse entry about a Belgian girl born in Japan whose life turns upside down on her third birthday. Ever since its Cannes debut, it has quietly been building buzz on the festival circuit. It won the Audience Award at both San Sebastián and Annecy.
Some other contenders include “A Magnificent Life,” “Demon Slayer,” “The Twits,” “Bad Guys 2,” “Dog Man,” “Predator: Killer of Killers,” and “Smurfs.”
That’s not a strong slate of films, and none really scream winner. The lack of a standout is so glaring that even Pixar’s “Elio” — which bombed at the box office earlier this year and received okay reviews — could still snag a nomination purely on brand recognition. That alone says a lot about how barren this race feels.
Animation fans are used to at least one or two titles each year that redefine the conversation or command enthusiasm across critics and audiences. 2026 hasn’t delivered that yet. Instead, the likely nominees look like a mix of sequels, underperformers, and polite festival favorites.
