\n\tThe Oscar race for visual effects is down to 20.<\/p>\n
\n\tWith multiple sources confirming to Variety, the list of finalists includes a mix of anticipated blockbusters and franchise entries, with major studios Disney, Warner Bros., Universal, Paramount and Netflix dominating the field. The finalists were notified ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.<\/p>\n
\n\tThe Disney parent company had the most films represented with seven among the 20. Among the most prominent titles are two from 20th Century Studios with Dan Trachtenberg\u2019s \u201cPredator: Badlands,\u201d the seventh film in the sci-fi-horror franchise, and the highly anticipated James Cameron\u2019s \u201cAvatar: Fire and Ash<\/a>,\u201d the third installment in the groundbreaking franchise, which will screen for guild members and critics beginning Sunday, Nov. 30. In addition, Marvel Studios nabbed a pair of selections with the superhero blockbusters \u201cThe Fantastic Four: First Steps\u201d and \u201cCaptain America: Brave New World,\u201d while Walt Disney Pictures was represented with \u201cLilo and Stitch\u201d and \u201cTron: Ares.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tWarner Bros. Discovery was second among the studios with the most entries: Bong Joon Ho\u2019s black comedy \u201cMickey 17,\u201d Jared Hess\u2019 video game adaptation \u201cA Minecraft Movie,\u201d Ryan Coogler\u2019s gothic vampire drama \u201cSinners\u201d and James Gunn\u2019s superhero reboot \u201cSuperman<\/a>\u201d under the DC Studios banner. The studio also co-distributed Joseph Kosinski\u2019s race car drama \u201cF1,\u201d starring Brad Pitt, alongside Apple Original Films, which produced the movie. Apple also managed to sneak Paul Greengrass\u2019 survival thriller \u201cThe Lost Bus,\u201d starring Matthew McConaughey and America Ferrera, into the top 20.<\/p>\n \n\tUniversal Pictures pulled off an impressive hat trick with its three big 2025 moneymakers: Jon M. Chu\u2019s musical sequel \u201cWicked: For Good,\u201d Dean DeBlois\u2019 live-action remake \u201cHow to Train Your Dragon\u201d and Gareth Edwards\u2019 dinosaur flick \u201cJurassic World: Rebirth.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tNetflix steered one of its best picture frontrunners into the fold with Guillermo del Toro\u2019s \u201cFrankenstein<\/a>,\u201d in addition to Anthony and Joe Russo\u2019s first-quarter release \u201cThe Electric State,\u201d which stars Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt.<\/p>\n \n\tEdgar Wright\u2019s remake of \u201cThe Running Man\u201d with Glen Powell debuts on the list for Paramount Pictures, alongside the last film in the popular Tom Cruise action franchise, \u201cMission: Impossible \u2013 The Final Reckoning.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tThe Academy does not release the top 20 externally and declined to comment or confirm if these films had advanced to the next round.<\/p>\n