The competition for the 2026 Academy Awards in the category of Visual Effects has officially narrowed down to 20 finalists. This list features a blend of highly anticipated films from major studios, including Disney, Warner Bros., Universal Pictures, Paramount, and Netflix. Multiple sources confirmed the finalists to Variety, and notifications were sent out just before the Thanksgiving holiday.
Among the standout entries, Disney leads with seven films represented. Noteworthy titles include Avatar: Fire and Ash, the third installment in the groundbreaking franchise directed by James Cameron, and Predator: Badlands, directed by Dan Trachtenberg. Both films are set to screen for guild members and critics starting November 30.
Marvel Studios also made a significant impact, securing two selections with The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Captain America: Brave New World. Additionally, Walt Disney Pictures is represented by Lilo and Stitch and Tron: Ares.
Warner Bros. Discovery follows closely, showcasing a diverse range of films. These include Bong Joon Ho’s black comedy Mickey 17, Jared Hess’s adaptation of the video game A Minecraft Movie, Ryan Coogler’s gothic vampire drama Sinners, and James Gunn’s superhero reboot Superman under the DC Studios banner. The studio also co-distributed Joseph Kosinski’s race car drama F1 with Apple Original Films.
Universal Pictures made its mark with three major films. These include Wicked: For Good, directed by Jon M. Chu, a live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon by Dean DeBlois, and Jurassic World: Rebirth, directed by Gareth Edwards.
Netflix continues to position itself as a strong contender with Guillermo del Toro’s adaptation of Frankenstein and The Electric State, directed by Anthony and Joe Russo and featuring Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt.
Paramount Pictures rounds out the finalists with The Running Man, directed by Edgar Wright, and the latest entry in the popular action franchise, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.
The Academy has not publicly disclosed the top 20 list and declined to comment on the finalists’ status in the nomination process. The preliminary voting period for the Oscars shortlist begins on December 8 at 09:00 PT and concludes on December 12 at 17:00 PT. The shortlisted films across 12 categories will be revealed on December 16.
In January, the VFX bake-offs will take place on January 10-11, where the final ten films will present their work to Academy members for nomination consideration. All branches will vote from January 12-16, with the nominations set to be announced on January 22. The 98th Academy Awards are scheduled for March 15, 2026.
The full list of the 20 finalists for the Visual Effects category includes:
– Avatar: Fire and Ash (20th Century Studios)
– Captain America: Brave New World (Marvel Studios)
– The Electric State (Netflix)
– F1 (Apple Original Films/Warner Bros.)
– The Fantastic Four: First Steps (Marvel Studios)
– Frankenstein (Netflix)
– How to Train Your Dragon (Universal Pictures)
– Jurassic World: Rebirth (Universal Pictures)
– Lilo and Stitch (Walt Disney Pictures)
– The Lost Bus (Apple Original Films)
– Mickey 17 (Warner Bros.)
– A Minecraft Movie (Warner Bros.)
– Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (Paramount Pictures)
– Predator: Badlands (20th Century Studios)
– The Running Man (Paramount Pictures)
– Sinners (Warner Bros.)
– Superman (DC Studios)
– Thunderbolts (Marvel Studios)
– Tron: Ares (Walt Disney Pictures)
– Wicked: For Good (Universal Pictures)
