This year's race for the Best Animated Feature Oscar is heating up, with Inside Out 2 from Pixar and Disney emerging as a top contender after its remarkable $1.6 billion box office success—a milestone for animated films. As Pixar makes a triumphant return to the spotlight, it faces strong competition from titles.

The current state of the race

Pixar’s Inside Out 2 is facing strong competition from other promising contenders for the award. This includes The Wild Robot from DreamWorks, Memoir of a Snail, which won at the Annecy festival, Flow, which won at the Ottawa festival, and Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl from Aardman and Netflix.
As if it was not a cut-throat competition, we have some of the much-awaited titles in the animation category yet to be released. The upcoming titles include Moana 2 and The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, but the competition is already fierce. Then there are also Some lesser-known films that just might resonate chords with the audience, like Ultraman: Rising, which updates the classic anime, and The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie, featuring Daffy Duck and Porky Pig, as reported by IndieWire.

The frontrunners (In no particular order)

In the sequel to the Oscar-winning Inside Out, director Kelsey Mann focuses on anxiety as a key emotion for 13-year-old Riley, resonating well with audiences. Meanwhile, The Wild Robot, directed by Chris Sanders, stands out as a strong competitor for the Oscar among non-sequels. It is based on Peter Brown’s illustrated book, this sci-fi adventure tells the story of a robot named Roz, voiced by Lupita Nyong’o, who washes up on a deserted island. There, she learns to live with local animals and adopts an orphaned gosling named Brightbill.

Memoir of a Snail, winner of this year’s Annecy Cristal Award, is a poignant stop-motion film by Adam Elliot, telling the story of Gracie, a lonely woman who shares her life experiences in a letter to her favourite snail, Sylvia. Gracie reflects on her struggles and her longing for her twin brother, Gilbert, who faces his own challenges.

Flow, Latvia’s entry for the international feature Oscar, is a beautiful, dialogue-free animated adventure by Gints Zilbalodis. It follows a black cat navigating a post-flood world on a boat with various animals, showcasing immersive animation created with Blender.

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl marks the return of Aardman's beloved characters in a fun story about a rogue smart gnome and features the return of fan-favourite villain Feathers McGraw.

The contenders (In no particular order)

Ultraman: Rising is a passion project by Shannon Tindle, reimagining the classic character in a story about balancing parenthood and heroism. It features stunning 2D animation that blends manga and anime styles. Meanwhile, The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie brings Daffy Duck and Porky Pig back in a 2D-animated adventure where they uncover an alien plot.

Chicken for Linda is a delightful hand-painted musical comedy from France and Italy, directed by Chiara Malta and Sébastien Laudenbach. The film tells a whimsical story about memory and the bond between a mother and daughter, revolving around a chaotic chase to catch a chicken for dinner. Its unique style features color-coded characters and lively musical numbers.

Look Back, directed by Kiyotaka Oshiyama, is adapted from a popular manga by Tatsuki Fujimoto. It explores the ups and downs of creative collaboration between two high school students, Fujino and Kyomoto, as they share a comics section in their school newspaper.

The Colours Within, directed by Naoko Yamada, follows a high school student who starts a band with the special ability to see the emotions of others as colours, bringing a unique twist to their musical journey.

Pakistan’s entry, The Glassworker for the international feature Oscar, revolves around the story of young Vincent and his father, Tomas, who run a glass workshop. Their lives are disrupted by the threat of war, highlighting their desire for peace amidst chaos.

Piece by Piece is a documentary about musical star Pharrell Williams, directed by Morgan Neville. It creatively uses LEGO animation to tell Pharrell's story, featuring interviews with other artists like Gwen Stefani and Kendrick Lamar, highlighting his impact on music and culture.

Moana 2 is a sequel to the beloved Disney film which was originally planned as a Disney+ series. In the sequel, Moana returns to find the lost island of Motufetu, with familiar faces like the demigod Maui and new characters, including her baby sister. The film promises to expand on the original's story and music.

Transformers One is an animated spinoff of the Transformers franchise, directed by Josh Cooley. It tells a new origin story set in a unique underground world, featuring future versions of Optimus Prime and Megatron.

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is the first anime film in the Lord of the Rings series. Directed by Kenji Kamiyama, it focuses on the legendary king Helm Hammerhand and the struggles his family faces during a war against the Dunlendings.

That Christmas is a holiday-themed animated film adapted from Richard Curtis’s books, directed by Simon Otto. It features a heartwarming and humorous story, with a star-studded voice cast and music by John Powell.

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