The handing out of awards is still months away, but Oscar watching is in full swing with new potential for five films to be nominated for best animated feature and the announcement of this year’s hosts.
According to Academy rules, if 16 or more films qualify for the best animated feature category, then five films will be nominated. To date, it’s happened only once, though each year animation fans and critics try to add up the numbers to see if it works out.
This year, it had looked like a lock until Evangelion 1.0: You Are (Not) Alone was disqualified a few weeks back. But a qualifying run at an Encino theater by the Spanish toon The Missing Lynx: Paws on the Run, could push the category over the top.
In other Oscars news, there will be two hosts for this year’s telecast: Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin.
The 82nd annual Academy Awards will be presented on March 7, 2010.
