“KPop Demon Hunters” Eligible for 2026 Oscars Animated Feature

“KPop Demon Hunters” is officially in the running for the Oscars. The Netflix animated sensation is among 35 films eligible for the Best Animated Feature category at the 98th Academy Awards.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences released the eligibility lists, covering animated, documentary, and international feature films.

Although the film gained popularity on Netflix, it also had a qualifying theatrical run in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco in June, meeting the Academy’s requirements. Its UK screenings, however, did not meet the criteria for other international awards.

Other notable animated films eligible this year include Disney’s Elio and Zootopia 2, Neon’s Arco, GKids’ Little Amélie or the Character of Rain, Netflix’s In Your Dreams, and Crunchyroll/Sony’s Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle and Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc. The Chinese blockbuster Ne Zha 2 did not make the list.

“KPop Demon Hunters” is Netflix’s most-watched film to date, with over 541 million hours streamed worldwide. Its soundtrack dominates the 2025 charts, with eight tracks landing on the Billboard Hot 100. The film’s limited theatrical release in August earned an estimated $18 million, followed by a Halloween weekend re-release. Netflix previously won the Best Animated Feature Oscar in 2022 for Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio.

In addition to animated features, 201 documentaries and 86 international films are eligible. These include 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). The co-production 2000 Meters to Andriivka qualifies in both documentary and international categories. Shortlists will be announced on Dec. 16.

Fans of “KPop Demon Hunters” will have to wait until Jan. 22 for the Oscar nominations to see if the film makes the animated feature cut. It is also expected to contend in the Original Song category, with the hit “Golden” submitted for consideration.