Annie Awards: KPop Demon Hunters and Elio Shine in Film Nominations
Netflix’s ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Leads 2026 Annie Awards Nominations with 13 Nods
Netflix’s animated feature, KPop Demon Hunters, has emerged as the frontrunner for the 2026 Annie Awards, garnering an impressive 13 nominations. Following closely is Pixar’s Elio, which has received 10 nominations. Other notable contenders include Disney Animation Studios’ Zootopia 2 and GKids’ Little Amélie or the Character of Rain, both securing five nominations each.
These four titles will vie for the prestigious Best Feature Prize, while the Best Feature – Independent category includes Arco, I’m Frankelda, Lost In Starlight, A Magnificent Life, and Scarlet.
The nominations were announced by ASIFA-Hollywood on Monday across 32 categories. Winners will be celebrated at the 53rd Annie Awards ceremony, set for February 21, at UCLA’s Royce Hall.
Historically, the Best Animated Feature Oscar has shown a strong correlation with the Annie Awards. Since the Oscars introduced this category in 2002, 14 of the 23 Annie winners for Best Feature have subsequently won the Academy Award, including seven of the last 13. In an unexpected turn last year, however, the Oscar was awarded to Flow, which, despite dominating the 2025 Annies with seven nominations, did not secure the Best Feature title.
ASIFA-Hollywood also announced the winners of the 2026 Juried Awards, recognizing exceptional contributions to animation. The Winsor McCay Award will honor animator and director Michaël Dudok de Wit, filmmakers Christopher Miller and Phil Lord, and writer-director Chris Sanders for their lifetime achievements. The June Foray Award will go to Sandy Rabins for her impact on the animation community, while the Ub Iwerks Award will be presented to Wacom for its technical advancements in animation. The Special Achievement Award will recognize LightBox Expo for its role in bridging the animation community with students and fans.
Full List of 2026 Annie Awards Nominees
Best Feature:
- Elio – Pixar Animation Studios
- KPop Demon Hunters – Sony Pictures Animation for Netflix
- Little Amélie or the Character of Rain – Maybe Movies, Ikki Films, Distributed by GKids
- The Bad Guys 2 – DreamWorks Animation
- Zootopia 2 – Walt Disney Animation Studios
Best Feature – Independent:
- A Magnificent Life – Mediawan, What the Prod and Bidibul productions
- Arco – Remembers, MountainA France, France 3 Cinéma
- I’m Frankelda – Cinema Fantasma, Warner Bros. Discovery, Woo Films, Cine Vendaval
- Lost In Starlight – Netflix / Climax Studio
- Scarlet – Studio CHIZU
Additional categories include Best Special Production, Best Short Subject, and various awards for TV/Media across different age groups, highlighting a range of animated and live-action entries.
The Annie Awards continue to be a significant marker in the animation industry, celebrating innovation and creativity across various mediums.
