The KPop Demon Hunters train could keep rolling right through awards season. According to the Associated Press, the animated Netflix mega-hit movie is among 35 features that are officially eligible for the animated feature category at the 2026 Academy Awards.
Demon Hunters made the first cut on the list released by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences last week because in addition to its record-setting streaming run on Netflix, the movie qualified for a potential Oscars bid thanks to a limited theatrical run in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco in June; the movie also grossed $18 million when it hit 1,750 theaters in August for sing-along screening.
Among the other titles that qualified for the Oscars animated feature category next year are: Arco, Elio, Zootopia 2, Little Amélie or the Character of Rain, In Your Dreams, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle and Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc.
According to Netflix, KPop Demon Hunters is its most-watched film of all time with more than 541 million hours viewed worldwide to date, along with being the highest-charting soundtrack of the year, with eight songs hitting the Billboard Hot 100 tally. If the animated feature nod doesn’t work out, Demon Hunters could make the shortlist for best original song when those nominees are announced on Dec. 16. According to Billboard‘s Paul Grein, the list of possible contenders for best original song include “Golden,” by the film’s fictional K-pop girl group HUNTR/X, which topped the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts for a 17th week each this week.
Fans will find out if the movie makes the cut in the animated feature category when nominations are announced on Jan. 22. The 98th Academy Awards will air live on ABC on March 15 at 7 p.m. ET.
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