VFX frontrunners "First Man," “Avengers: Infinity War," and “Ready Player One” are joined by surprise animated entries "Incredibles 2" and "Isle of Dogs."

    "Avengers: Infinity War"

The Academy’s Visual Effects Branch Executive Committee voted on its preliminary list of 20, and, along with frontrunners “First Man,” “Avengers: Infinity War,” and “Ready Player One,” it included two surprise animated entries: Pixar’s “Incredibles 2” and Wes Anderson’s stop-motion “Isle of Dogs.” The last animated VFX nominee was Laika’s stop motion “Kubo and the Two Strings.” This Pixar entry marks the first time a CG animated feature has made it this far in the VFX race.

Marvel’s Best Picture contender “Black Panther” also made the cut along with “Mission: Impossible – Fallout” and “Mary Poppins Returns.” However, Andy Serkis’ performance-captured “Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle,” picked up by Netflix, didn’t make the cut. Superhero movies “Deadpool 2” and “Venom” were also shut out.

    "Incredibles 2" 

Later this month, the committee will whittle it down to 10 films (announced on December 17th), which will compete at the annual bakeoff.

The films are listed below in alphabetical order:

“Ant-Man and the Wasp”

“Aquaman”

“Avengers: Infinity War”

“Black Panther”

“Bumblebee”

“Christopher Robin”

“Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald”

“First Man”

“Incredibles 2”

“Isle of Dogs”

“Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom”

“Mary Poppins Returns”

“Mission: Impossible – Fallout”

“Mortal Engines”

“The Nutcracker and the Four Realms”

“Paddington 2”

“A Quiet Place”

“Ready Player One”

“Solo: A Star Wars Story”

“Welcome to Marwen”

Nominations will be announced on Tuesday, January 22, 2019. The 91st Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, and will be televised live on the ABC Television Network.