Twenty-six features have been submitted for consideration in the Animated Feature Film category for the 90th Academy Awards. What that means is that these 26 films, some of which are in the process of going through the qualifying steps, will await consideration by the Academy for the nomination process. At most, only five of these films will end up as Oscar nominees, meaning some worthy contenders will sadly not make the cut. There's a pretty stark divide between massively popular performers like The LEGO Batman MovieDespicable Me 3 and the upcoming Pixar picture Coco, while indie and/or international pictures like The Big Bad Fox & Other Tales, The BreadwinnerIn This Corner of the World, and Mary and the Witch's Flower will get a big boost from recognition alone.

A lot of these films saw wide theatrical releases and you'll undoubtedly recognize their titles, either because they're sequels of massive animated franchises or because the national/international marketing made sure you couldn't miss them. Others enjoyed much smaller release and marketing budgets but appeared at festivals like the recent Animation Is Film showcase in Los Angeles. And if you've been following along with my weekly This Week in Animation News round-ups, some of the following titles should sound familiar.

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Image via GKIDS

The submitted features, listed in alphabetical order, are:

  • The Big Bad Fox & Other Tales
  • Birdboy: The Forgotten Children
  • The Boss Baby
  • The Breadwinner
  • Captain Underpants The First Epic Movie
  • Cars 3
  • Cinderella the Cat
  • Coco
  • Despicable Me 3
  • The Emoji Movie
  • Ethel & Ernest
  • Ferdinand
  • The Girl without Hands
  • In This Corner of the World
  • The Lego Batman Movie
  • The Lego Ninjago Movie
  • Loving Vincent
  • Mary and the Witch’s Flower
  • Moomins and the Winter Wonderland
  • My Entire High School Sinking into the Sea
  • Napping Princess
  • A Silent Voice
  • Smurfs: The Lost Village
  • The Star
  • Sword Art Online: The Movie - Ordinal Scale
  • Window Horses The Poetic Persian Epiphany of Rosie Ming

Here's more from the Academy on how these submissions will move ahead to the nomination process:

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Image via Studio Ponoc

Several of the films have not yet had their required Los Angeles qualifying run. Submitted features must fulfill the theatrical release requirements and comply with all of the category’s other qualifying rules before they can advance in the voting process. Depending on the number of films that qualify, two to five nominees may be voted.  Sixteen or more films must qualify for the maximum of five nominees to be voted.

Films submitted in the Animated Feature Film category also may qualify for Academy Awards in other categories, including Best Picture, provided they meet the requirements. For the first time, nominations voting in the Animated Feature Film category is open to the entire eligible voting membership.

Nominations for the 90th Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 23, 2018. The 90th Oscars® will be held on Sunday, March 4, 2018, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscars also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

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Image via Filmkompaniet

Related: Best Animated Movies on Netflix

Related: 2018 Oscar Winners