While the thought of a bake off might get the stomach rumbling, there’s only one company who could send a virtual camera down your esophagus and make it look real and another who would make it sound amazing, and that’s Industrial Light & Magic and Skywalker Sound. Todays reveal of the Visual Effects and Sound bake off nominess reveal that of the ten films nominated, all 10 feature ILM VFX while of the ten sound nominees, 5 feature work by Skywalker Sound. An amazing showing, which bodes well for the final nominations which will be announced on Thursday 22nd January 2026 ahead of the 98th Academy Awards on 15th March.
SOUND
Ten films will advance in the Sound category for the 98th Academy Awards. All eligible members of the Sound Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees. Academy members will be invited to view excerpts from each of the shortlisted films beginning Saturday, January 10, 2025, in the San Francisco Bay area, London and New York, followed by Los Angeles on Sunday, January 11, 2026.The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:
“Avatar: Fire and Ash”
“F1”
“Frankenstein”
“Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning”
“One Battle after Another”
“Sinners”
“Sirât”
“Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere”
“Superman”
“Wicked: For Good”VISUAL EFFECTS
Ten films remain in the running in the Visual Effects category for the 98th Academy Awards. The Visual Effects Branch Executive Committee determined the shortlist. Academy members will be invited to view excerpts and interviews with the artists from each of the shortlisted films on Saturday, January 10, 2026. Visual Effects Branch members will vote to determine the nominees.The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:
“Avatar: Fire and Ash”
“The Electric State”
“F1”
“Frankenstein”
“Jurassic World Rebirth”
“The Lost Bus”
“Sinners”
“Superman”
“Tron: Ares”
“Wicked: For Good”
Best of luck to everyone, especially the teams at ILM and Skywalker Sound.
