If you’re a Disney fan who has a fondness for Walt Disney Animation Studios movies or Disney – Pixar movies, and who is excited by the prospect of hibernating with Disney+ for the winter, then three of Disney’s newest movies should be on your watchlist–and all three of them were just nominated for multiple Annie Awards now that the 49th Annie Awards season is underway, which is an outstanding achievement! Luca, Encanto, and Raya and the Last Dragon all premiered in 2021. Luca has just been nominated for eight different Annie Awards, Encanto has been nominated for nine, and Raya and the Last Dragon has been nominated for ten!
The Annie Awards celebrate achievements in animation, and since Luca, Encanto, and Raya and the Last Dragon all have their own unique but visually stunning animation style, it’s no surprise that the films have received nominations. Luca has received nominations for the following 49th annual Annie Awards: the Best Character Design (Feature) Award, Best Direction Award, Best Character Animation Award, Best Editorial (Feature) Award, Best Writing (Feature) Award, Best Music (Feature) Award, Best Voice Acting (Feature) Award (Jack Dylan Grazer), and Best Feature Award.
Making a big splash, congratulations to #PixarLuca for its eight #AnnieAwards nominations including Best Animated Feature! pic.twitter.com/f6rInYsK2v
— Pixar (@Pixar) December 21, 2021
If you haven’t already seen Luca, prepare to watch a charming and somewhat out-of-the-ordinary Disney Pixar film that focuses on magical realism. This animated feature production is set in Italy and follows the story of young sea monsters Luca Paguro and Alberto Scorfano (voiced by Jack Dylan Grazer, who has been nominated for the Annie Award for Best Voice Actor) as they sneak out from under the sea to explore normal life in a village on the Italian Riviera. While the animation under the sea is almost as beautiful as it is in Finding Nemo (2003) by Pixar Animation Studios, the overall tone of the movie veers away from Disney and Pixar’s usual style. This is a fun movie, but definitely one with lots of introspective moments and fantasy elements!
¡Felicidades to #Encanto for its nine magical #AnnieAwards nominations including Best Animated Feature! pic.twitter.com/SmYnicmoFC
— Disney Animation (@DisneyAnimation) December 21, 2021
Encanto is a Walt Disney Animation Studios movie that incorporates magic into its storyline, too! This animated feature production follows the Madrigal family (a magical Colombian family imbued with special powers) and focuses on Mirabel, a daughter in the family who stands out because she doesn’t have any unique abilities. When the Madrigal family’s magic and the magic of the family’s sentient house is threatened, Mirabel must save the day and find out how she fits into this extraordinary family!
Mirabel is voiced by Stephanie Beatriz, who has been nominated for the Annie Award for Best Voice Acting for her performance! If you didn’t see this movie in theaters yet, no worries: the movie is coming to Disney+ on Christmas Eve, December 24!
Encanto has been nominated for the following 49th annual Annie Awards: the Best Direction Award, Best Character Animation Award, Best Editorial (Feature) Award, Best Music (Feature) Award, Best Storyboarding Award, Best Voice Acting (Feature) Award (John Leguizamo), Best Voice Acting (Feature) Award (Stephanie Beatriz), Best FX Award, and Best Feature Award.
Congratulations to #DisneyRaya on receiving ten #AnnieAwards Nominations including Best Animated Feature! pic.twitter.com/H4jpZIK3xp
— Disney Animation (@DisneyAnimation) December 21, 2021
Raya and the Last Dragon premiered earlier this year than Luca or Encanto, but its combat sequences, beautiful animation, and Southeast Asian mythology all play a part in making this new Disney princess movie stand out. Raya is a charismatic and determined heroine voiced by Kelly Marie Tran (who has been nominated for the Annie Award for Best Voice Acting for her role), and there are lots of charming side characters in the animated movie. The exciting plot of this movie also explains why it’s been nominated for ten awards!
Raya and the Last Dragon has been nominated for the following 49th annual Annie Awards: the Best FX Award, Best Character Animation Award, Best Character Design Award, Best Editorial (Feature) Award, Best Music (Feature) Award, Best Storyboarding Award, Best Production Design Award, Best Writing Award, Best Voice Acting Award (Feature, Kelly Marie Tran), and Best Feature Award.
Each of the three movies mentioned has been nominated for Best Animated Feature at the 49th annual Annie Awards, and they’re also competing against each other since they all have a nomination in several other award categories; with several metaphorical horses in the Annie Award race, it seems like Walt Disney Animation Studios (or Pixar Animation Studios) could be on track to win the Best Animated Feature Award and some other Annie Awards as well!
