For a Netflix animated film that blends K-pop spectacle with supernatural action, awards-season buzz may once have seemed like a long shot. But KPop Demon Hunters is steadily turning heads in Hollywood, securing a nomination for the animation award from the Producers Guild of America (PGA) and emerging as a serious contender in this year’s race.
According to the nominees announced on Jan. 9, KPop Demon Hunters was named one of five finalists in the feature-length animated film category at the 37th PGA Awards.
The film will compete against a strong lineup that includes Disney’s Zootopia 2 and Elio, DreamWorks Animation’s The Bad Guys 2, and the Japanese animated feature Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Castle.
The PGA nomination follows the film’s breakout success earlier this month at the Critics’ Choice Awards, where KPop Demon Hunters captured two major honors, including best animated feature and best original song. The dual wins fueled optimism that the Netflix title could go on to dominate this year’s major Hollywood awards.
The PGA Awards are traditionally regarded as one of the most reliable indicators of the Academy Awards, with producers’ selections often closely aligning with eventual Oscar winners.
In the ceremony’s top prize category for theatrical motion picture, the PGA named 10 nominees: One Battle After Another, Sinners, Marty Supreme, Frankenstein, Hamnet, Bugonia, F1, Sentimental Value, Weapons, and Train Dreams.
Two highly anticipated blockbusters — Avatar: Fire and Ash and Wicked: For Good — were notably absent from the list, a surprise that was widely noted.
In the television drama series category, PGA nominees include Andor, The Diplomat, The Pitt, Pluribus, Severance, and The White Lotus.
The 37th PGA Awards ceremony will be held on Feb. 28 in Los Angeles, where KPop Demon Hunters will look to cement its status as one of the year’s most acclaimed animated films.