Dec 12, 2024

Critics' Choice Awards Announces Nominees; Consensus Forms in Animated Feature Award Race

Nominations for the Critics Circle's 30th annual Critics Circle Awards (CCA) have been announced, with more than 600 critics and entertainment reporters selecting from a diverse field of film and television productions.

The nominees represent 31 animated feature films that have qualified for the 2025 Academy Awards race, giving them a clear consensus as front-runners in the Oscar race for Best Animated Feature. Over the past 10 years, CCA's Best Animated Feature winner has won simultaneously with the Oscar seven times.

Additionally, all five of CCA's nominated animated feature films are among the six films nominated for the 2025 Golden Globes (including Disney's “Moana 2”). This leaves the other 26 animated feature films currently in the running for the Academy Award an uphill battle.

“Wild Robots” is CAA's most nominated animated feature. The Universal Pictures sci-fi fable was nominated in a total of three categories, including Best Original Score (Chris Bowers) and Best Original Song (“Kiss the Sky”).

Sideshow/Janus Films' apocalyptic drama Flow was nominated in two categories. This included the film being the only animated feature film nominated among the six CAA nominees for Best Foreign Language Film.

Animation also played an important role in the visual effects of the CCA's most nominated film. Universal's Broadway musical adaptation of “Wicked” led the pack with 11 nominations, tied with Focus Features' Vatican thriller “Conclave.” Warner Bros.' sci-fi epic “Dune: Part 2” earned 10 nominations, tied with Netflix's psychedelic musical drama “Emilia Perez.”

The following are the nominations in all categories in which animation is included:

Best Animated Feature

Best Animated Series

Best Visual Effects

Best Song

Best Music

Best Foreign Language Film

30th Annual Critics' Choice Awards will be held on Sunday, January 12, 2025 at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California. The awards ceremony will be broadcast live on E! and streamed on Peacock on the 13th.