Could your favorite K-Pop group be accepting an Oscar next year? The Netflix hit 'KPop Demon Hunters' is now officially in the running for an Academy Award! This is a HUGE step closer to gold for the film, which has taken the world by storm. The animated adventure is among 35 films vying for the coveted Animated Feature Film prize at the 98th Academy Awards.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences dropped the list of eligible films on Friday, covering animated features, documentaries, and international features. But here's where it gets controversial... does a film that found fame on a streaming platform really deserve to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with traditional cinematic releases?
While 'KPop Demon Hunters' found its initial fame on Netflix, it cleverly secured its Oscar eligibility with qualifying theatrical runs in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco back in June. This satisfied the Academy's requirements. Interestingly, its theatrical run in the UK wasn't enough to qualify it for the BAFTAs. This highlights the different criteria and standards that govern film awards across the globe, and makes you wonder if all these rules are really necessary in today's digital world.
Other animated contenders include Neon’s “Arco,” Disney’s “Elio” and “Zootopia 2,” GKids’ “Little Amélie or the Character of Rain,” Netflix’s “In Your Dreams,” and Crunchyroll/Sony’s heavy hitters, "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle" and "Chainsaw Man — The Movie: Reze Arc.” And this is the part most people miss...notice anything missing from that list? The massive Chinese blockbuster, “Ne Zha 2,” didn't make the cut, raising eyebrows and sparking speculation about the selection process. What could be the reason for this omission?
'KPop Demon Hunters' isn't just a contender; it's a powerhouse. Netflix boasts that it's their most-watched film ever, racking up over 541 million viewing hours worldwide. The soundtrack has also dominated music charts, becoming the highest-charting soundtrack of 2025 with a staggering eight songs landing on the Billboard Hot 100. The film even made waves in theaters in August, estimated to have earned around $18 million (a figure that would have topped box office charts had Netflix released the official numbers!). It even enjoyed a subsequent theatrical release over Halloween weekend. Netflix is no stranger to Oscar glory in this category, having won their first Animated Feature Oscar in 2022 for “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio.” Can they repeat their success?
The documentary and international feature categories are also packed with talent. 201 documentaries and 86 international features are eligible, including titles like “Sentimental Value” (Norway), “Sirât” (Spain), “The Secret Agent” (Brazil), “It Was Just an Accident” (France), “The Voice of Hind Rajab” (Tunisia), and “My Father’s Shadow” (United Kingdom). A particularly noteworthy entry is “2000 Meters to Andriivka,” a co-production between the AP and PBS Frontline which is eligible in both the documentary and international feature categories, showcasing its powerful storytelling and global relevance. Both documentary and international feature categories will be narrowed down to a 10-film shortlist on December 16th.
Fans of 'KPop Demon Hunters' will have to anxiously await nomination morning on January 22nd to see if their favorite film makes the final cut for the Animated Feature category. Furthermore, there's strong buzz that the film will also be a major player in the Original Song category, with "Golden" being a submitted contender. It seems like the awards season is shaping up to be an exciting one, blurring the lines between traditional cinema and streaming sensations.
The 98th Oscars will air live on ABC at 7 p.m. on March 15th. Will 'KPop Demon Hunters' defy expectations and take home the gold? Or will more traditionally animated fare prevail? And what does the potential success of a streaming-first film mean for the future of the Academy Awards? Let us know what you think in the comments below!
