Oscars spotlight: ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ deserves to be the 4th animated film to get a Best Picture nom

According to the current combined predictions of Gold Derby users, the 10 films that are expected to reap Best Picture nominations at this year’s Oscars are “American Fiction,” “Anatomy of a Fall,” “Barbie,” “The Color Purple,” “The Holdovers,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “Maestro,” “Oppenheimer,” “Past Lives,” and “Poor Things.” However there is a movie currently sitting not far behind in 13th place that I think deserves a spot: “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.”

More than a year after the events of the 2018’s “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) is unexpectedly approached by Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld), to complete a mission to save every universe of Spider-People from the Spot (Jason Schwartzman).

The first movie won Best Animated Feature back in 2018. The sequel is currently also expected to win that category, getting 17/5 odds. In addition, it’s predicted to reap additional bids for Best Score and Best Visual Effects. Just like its predecessor, “Across the Spider-Verse” utilizes highly stylized animation to such stunning effect. In fact, multiple types of animation are on display at any given point. Commercially, it’s also one of the biggest hits of the year, having made over $690 million at the worldwide box office.

Critically, it’s been very well received, currently holding a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Among the critics who agree are Brian Tallerico (RogerEbert.com), who called it “a smart, thrilling piece of work that reminded me of other great part twos like ‘The Dark Knight’ and ‘The Empire Strikes Back.'” Meanwhile, Ann Hornaday (Washington Post) thought it was “extravagant, executed with superb draftsmanship and giddy, infectious joy.” On top of that, earlier this year “Across the Spider-Verse” won two Hollywood Critics Association Midseason Film Awards for Best Picture and Best Director (Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson).

The challenge “Across the Spider-Verse” faces is that only three animated films have ever managed to receive Oscar noms for Best Picture: 1991’s “Beauty and the Beast,” 2009’s “Up,” and 2010’s “Toy Story 3.” When the sliding scale nominating system was put in place in 2011, where anywhere between five and 10 films could be nominated for Best Picture, it became harder for animated movies to achieve such a milestone. Now that we are in the third year of a guaranteed 10-nominee lineup, it theoretically should be easier for them.

At this point last year many thought “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” had a shot to receive a Best Picture bid. On paper, it had a lot going for it. The first was that it was helmed by Guillermo del Toro, a two-time winner for “The Shape of Water” who had another film, “Nightmare Alley,” show up in Best Picture despite getting no other above-the-line noms. The second was that it had Netflix backing it, and that streaming service is known for giving their movies a big push every season. “Pinocchio” was also widely predicted to get two other nominations: Best Score and Best Song (“Ciao Papa“). Yet it only ended up with a spot (and eventual win) in Best Animated Feature.

For an animated movie to wind up in Best Picture again, it might need at least one of two important factors going for it. First, the critics need to vouch for it in their end-of-the-year awards for Best Picture as was the case with genre films such as “Mad Max: Fury Road” and “Get Out.” Second, it needs too-big-to-ignore status as was the case with blockbuster films with acclaim such as “Avatar,” “Black Panther,” and “Top Gun: Maverick.”

With a third movie, “Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse,” on the way, academy members might just wait until then to give this franchise a Best Picture nomination. After all, they waited until 2003’s “The Return of the King” to give Peter Jackson‘s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy a win for Best Picture. Yet in a year where some of the biggest critical/commercial hits such as “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” are expected to be big Oscar contenders, “Across the Spider-Verse” deserves to be too.

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