K-Pop Demon Hunters, Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, Zootopia 2, Arco and Elio are some of the top contenders for Best Animated Feature awards for the upcoming Oscars 2026. Ne Zha 2 missing the Oscar shortlist remains a mystery despite topping the 2025 movie hits that ruled global cinema.
Ne Zha 2 was considered a strong potential contender for the Oscars 2026, and several industry observers were shocked by the omission. However, the film’s success in China did not translate to its Oscar shortlisting. It never gained the deserved Oscar push.
What is the reason for Ne Zha 2’s Oscar snub?
According to Kbi Zoom, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences confirmed that Ne Zha 2 was not submitted by its own production team. Its name was absent from the total of 35 animated feature films that met the criteria to be considered for the “Best Animated Feature” award at the forthcoming 2026 Oscars.
The distribution companies verified that the film fulfilled all the technical criteria before its Oscar submission, including its North American theatrical release, which involves a 75 percent animation content threshold. A minimum seven-day release window was completed in Los Angeles.
This unexpected move came from the film’s North American distributor, CMC Pictures. The film was never formally submitted by the November 13 deadline.
China’s cultural authorities decided to submit Legend of Hei 2 for the Best Animation Feature category, included in the list of 35 submissions by the Academy. This film has an impressive 98 percent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes with an IMDb rating of 7.9.
Ne Zha 2 struggled to make an impact in the US market
A24 gained US distribution rights for Ne Zha 2 by partnering with CMC Pictures. The film performed poorly at the US box office despite being a global success. It could be due to Americans’ unfamiliarity with Chinese mythology, cultural elements, and A24’s limited marketing efforts, which made it hard to reach beyond the targeted niche.
Having gained an IMDb rating of 8.2 and a critics’ score of 91 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, A24’s english dubbed version of Ne Zha 2 didn’t impress the American audience. It is mainly because the majority of Americans haven’t seen the original Ne Zha (2019).
The lack of substantial US market penetration likely lessened its priority for an Oscar campaign, which requires significant effort and cost. The voluntary withdrawal was made after CMC realized that financial Oscar campaigns can cost millions of dollars.
Since the film did not earn much in the US, it made it difficult to make a return on its costly Oscar campaign. The film’s limited commercial impact could likely be the reason that CMC Pictures didn’t submit it for Oscar consideration to the Academy, making it ineligible for the Best Animated Feature award.
This uncertainty also stemmed from Ne Zha 1’s previous failure to secure a nomination in Oscars despite being China’s official submission. Many critics noted that there was a cultural and artistic divide between Chinese and Hollywood aesthetics. With the fear of getting a repeat disappointment, CMC Pictures could have decided otherwise this time.
What does Ne Zha 2 missing the Oscar shortlist signal for China and Hollywood?
Fans deemed the decision to be a sign of self-confidence since Chinese animation makers might be prioritizing global recognition over award recognition from one region of the world. Pursuing an Oscar might have triggered domestic criticism, tagging it as “Western validation obsession,” which was not the aim in the first place.
Ne Zha 2 has been counted in top five contenders on many websites’ Oscar predictions, but some have excluded it from the first five. This has even sparked fans’ conversation about whether this was a biased decision.
However, avoiding excessive media attention was a deliberate ruling from the film’s team. Unlike Hollywood studios, which often invest heavily in long, visibility-driven Oscar campaigns, the Ne Zha 2 team appeared more focused on sustaining domestic dominance and long-term cultural impact rather than competing head-on in Hollywood’s awards ecosystem.
This deliberate strategic choice highlights a deeper contrast between China’s evolving film priorities and Hollywood’s prestige-driven awards culture. Hollywood believes awards recognition to be a prerequisite for global recognition and artistic validation, while the case is opposite for China’s Ne Zha 2.
The latter triumphed due to its commercial power, cultural confidence, and audience reach, and proved that Chinese content can exist independently of Western awards approval. This marks the Chinese studios’ growing willingness to define success on their own terms, even if it means stepping back from the Oscar spotlight.
The scenario gives a major Oscar lesson for life. The awards-season footnote suggests a shifting global balance where China’s biggest blockbusters no longer rely on Hollywood’s nods to prove their value. In that sense, Hollywood’s institutions might need to work on their adjustments to the realities of an increasingly multipolar global film industry.
Passionate Entertainment Writer | Trusted Pop Culture Voice
Madiha Ali is an experienced entertainment writer with over five years of expertise in covering movies, TV shows, celebrity news, and pop culture. Her bylines appear on trusted platforms like High on Films, Ary News, The Express Tribune, Tea and Banter, Show Snob, CelebFeedz, Snapfeedz, Daily Planet Media, The Irish Insider, and Movie Insiderz.
She brings a personal, insightful approach to every story—whether she’s analyzing the emotional layers of a film or giving her take on trending celebrity headlines. Madiha’s writing style is known for being authentic, well-researched, and reader-focused.
When she’s not writing, she’s fully immersed in the world of entertainment—watching new releases, revisiting classics, exploring behind-the-scenes content, or reading books that fuel her creativity. Her passion for storytelling drives her work and helps her stay connected to what matters most in the industry.
Madiha believes great stories start conversations, challenge perspectives, and stay with us long after the credits roll. Through her writing, she continues to share those stories with clarity, depth, and heart.
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