What's at stake

A Best Animated Feature Oscar crowns the year's outstanding animated film.

The winner gains industry prestige, a likely box-office and streaming bump, and awards-season momentum that helps studios, directors, and franchises sell future projects.

Who's in play

Zootopia 2, Elio, Arco, KPop Demon Hunters, and Little Amélie or the Character of Rain are the nominated films.

Academy members in the animation branch and the broader AMPAS voting body ultimately decide which film takes the award.

What drives it

Pre-vote screenings, critics' awards, and guild endorsements shape momentum heading into final ballots.

Campaign visibility, release timing, artistic consensus among animation voters, and any surprise grassroots or international support can shift probabilities before academy members cast their votes.

What to watch

Watch the nominations announcement, the Annie Awards, Critics' Choice, and major guild results for signals about front-runner strength.

Also track late box-office and streaming performance, distributor campaign ads and events, filmmaker roundtables, and the Academy’s final voting window ahead of the 98th ceremony.