Oscar Race: Animated Films Target Adults — SkimNews
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- Laika released 'Wildwood,' its first PG-13 film and the longest English-language animated feature at 130 minutes, positioning it as a frontrunner in the Best Animated Feature race.
- Travis Knight directed 'Wildwood' and is already an Oscar-nominated filmmaker for 'Kubo and the Two Strings,' lending significant industry credibility to the project.
- Leah Nelson co-wrote and directed 'Tangles,' a first-time feature based on Sarah Leavitt’s graphic memoir about her mother’s Alzheimer’s, with Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Abbi Jacobson in lead roles.
- Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who stars in and produces 'Tangles,' joins Seth Rogen and Lauren Miller Rogen as a producer on the film, which is being submitted as a drama at the Golden Globes.
- Brad Bird, Daniel Chong, Joel Crawford, Januel Mercado, and others participated in Variety’s Pixels and Pencils panel, highlighting the breadth of talent in a competitive animated feature field.
- Since 'Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio' won in 2023, neither Disney nor Pixar has won Best Animated Feature, breaking their long-standing dominance since the category began in 2002.
Why it matters: The shift away from Disney and Pixar dominance in Best Animated Feature means independent and adult-targeted films now have a real shot at Oscar recognition, changing how studios and audiences value animation as a serious cinematic medium. This year’s race reflects a broader cultural reevaluation of the genre’s artistic range.
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