Tag: Animation

Oscar Predictions: Scarlet

Scarlet is not a hip reimagining of the Clue vixen when she was a young woman (though I’d totally watch that). It’s the latest Japanese action fantasy from filmmaker Mamoru Hosoda. The Toho title has premiered in Venice with a release in its home country in November and awards qualifying run anticipated stateside via Sony.

In 2018, Hosoda’s Mirai was one of the five contenders for Best Animated Feature, ultimately losing to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Follow-up Belle, in 2021, failed to do the same despite fine critical reaction and impressive box office numbers.

There aren’t enough reviews on Scarlet yet for RT or Metacritic scores. However, the limited consensus thus far is that Scarlet is a bit of a letdown. That dynamic could shift as more feedback is available, but I’ve already seen enough to cast doubt that this is any threat to win Animated Feature and its nomination is certainly questionable. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle Box Office Prediction

The generously titled Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle seeks to conquer the domestic marketplace starting September 12th. Tracking indicates that it will. Based on the popular Japanese manga series, it the latest installment in a franchise that continues to grow in popularity. A direct sequel to the fourth season of the anime TV series, Haruo Sotozaki directs the Crunchyroll distributed two and a half hour fantasy.

Castle has already dominated the overseas market. In its home country, it stands as the year’s highest grosser and third largest in history. In 2021, Mugen Train started off with $21 million stateside. Two years later, To the Swordsmith Village debuted to just over $10 million which 2024’s To the Hashira Training earned north of $11 million.

Buzz is louder this time around with expectations elevated. At the low end, Castle is anticipated to double the figures of its two predecessors. Some projections have this as high as $70 million plus! That would be an astonishing gross, but this could catch a wave making it possible. I’m going with low to mid 60s for what would be a record shattering beginning for its genre.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle opening weekend prediction: $64.6 million

For my Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale prediction, click here:

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale Box Office Prediction

For my The Long Walk prediction, click here:

The Long Walk Box Office Prediction

For my Spinal Tap II: The End Continues prediction, click here:

Spinal Tap II: The End Continues Box Office Prediction

Oscar Predictions: Ne Zha 2

You might not know it, but Ne Zha 2 is smashing records overseas before the A24 distributed English dub (featuring Michelle Yeoh among the voice cast) hits domestic venues this weekend. The animated Chinese fantasy is the follow-up to 2019’s original and comes from filmmaker Yang Yu, better known as Jiaozi.

The sequel was out in its home country in January before rolling out to additional territories throughout the winter and spring. With $2.2 billion in its coffers, Zha is already the highest grossing animated feature in history (surpassing Inside Out 2).

How will that translate to awards prospects? While it sports 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, the 63 Metacritic score indicates many reviews weren’t over the top in their praise. I will note that part one was China’s submission for Best International Feature Film back at the 92nd Academy Awards and it didn’t land a nom. That race seems out of reach for the 98th ceremony.

This could still manage to nab one of the five Best Animated Feature slots. Yet I’ll note that foreign competition is serious this time around with KPop Demon Hunters, Arco, and Scarlet among titles jockeying for position. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

KPop Demon Hunters A Sing-Along Event Box Office Prediction

Netflix is taking the rare step next weekend of capitalizing on already existing content when they release KPop Demon Hunters A Sing-Along Event. Released on the streamer in June, the musical fantasy has become a family friendly phenomenon on the service. Hunters will get the “sing-along” treatment (something usually reserved for Disney) with a two night only event on Saturday, August 23rd and Sunday, August 24th.

Already Netflix’s most viewed animated offering ever, Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans direct. Voiceover work is provided by Arden Cho, Ahn Hyo-seop, May Hong, Ji-young Yoo, Yunjin Kim, Daniel Dae Kim, Ken Jeong, and Lee Byung-hun. Angling for Oscar nominations in Animated Feature and Original Song (single “Golden” in particular), the question is how many kiddos will successfully drag their parents to material available in the living room and on the iPad.

I think this could reach $10M+ in its two days of release and my hunch is to go with an over performance in the low teens (even with the challenge of youngsters returning to school).

KPop Demon Hunters A Sing-Along Event opening weekend prediction: $13.8 million

For my Honey Don’t! prediction, click here:

Honey Don’t! Box Office Prediction

Oscar Predictions: Fixed

Netflix has put out Fixed this week and it marks the first R rated animation effort from Sony. Genndy Tartakovsky, best known for helming the Hotel Transylvania franchise, directs. The voice cast for the tale of a dog about to be neutered includes Adam DeVine, Idris Elba, Kathryn Hahn, Fred Armisen, Beck Bennett, and Bobby Moynihan.

Originally set for distribution by Warner Bros until they cut it loose, Netflix picked up the rights and reviews are mixed. The Rotten Tomatoes score is 63% with Metacritic at only 51. If Sausage Party couldn’t break into the Academy’s Animated Feature quintet with better marks, that leaves little hope for this. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

Oscar Predictions: The Bad Guys 2

The Bad Guys 2 looks to steal lots of box office loot when it debuts this weekend. Following up on 2022’s heist comedy from DreamWorks Animation, Pierre Perifel returns to direct the adaptation of Aaron Blabey’s kids book series. Contributing voices include Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramos, Awkwafina, Zazie Beetz, Danielle Brooks, Natasha Lyonne, Maria Bakalova, Alex Borstein, Richard Ayoade, and Lilly Singh.

This franchise has drawn mostly appreciative notices from critics. The 87% Rotten Tomatoes rating and 64 Metacritic are right in line with the original’s scores. Yet that wasn’t enough for these characters to make off with an Animated Feature Academy Award nomination three years ago. I’m skeptical the sequel would either and I didn’t have it listed in my top ten possibilities in my updated predictions last weekend. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

The Bad Guys 2 Box Office Prediction

Animated creature caper high jinks continue when The Bad Guys 2 opens August 1st. The follow-up to the 2022 original finds Pierre Perifel back in directorial control with returning voice work from Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramos, Awkwafina, Zazie Beetz, Richard Ayoade, Lilly Singh, and Alex Borstein. Newcomers to the mix are Danielle Brooks, Maria Bakalova, and Natasha Lyonne.

Based on Aaron Blabey’s series of children’s books, part one exceeded expectations over three years ago with a $24 million premiere and $97 million overall domestic total. With plenty of time for kiddos to stream the predecessor, it stands to reason that the Universal release could build upon that gross. I think it’ll do so in the high 20s range.

The Bad Guys 2 opening weekend prediction: $28.1 million

For my The Naked Gun prediction, click here:

The Naked Gun Box Office Prediction

For my Together prediction, click here:

Together Box Office Prediction

Smurfs Box Office Prediction

Paramount Animation hopes that Smurfs works for family audiences when it debuts July 18th. Based originally on a Belgian comic book series that turned into 1980s Saturday morning cartoon, Shrek the Third and Puss in Boots maker Chris Miller directs. Rihanna leads the voice cast as Smurfette. Others behind the mic include James Corden, Nick Offerman, JP Karliak, Daniel Levy, Amy Sedaris, Natasha Lyonne, Sandra Oh, Jimmy Kimmel, Octavia Spencer, Nick Kroll, Hannah Waddingham, Alex Sinter, Maya Erskine, Kurt Russell, and John Goodman.

The musical comedy hopes to reinvigorate a series that saw diminishing returns for the blue characters on the silver screen. 2011’s The Smurfs blended live-action with animation to terrific results with a $35 million opening and $142 million domestic haul. The 2013 follow-up essentially cut those earnings in half with an $18 million start and $71 million stateside. Smurfs: The Lost Village in 2017 was fully animated and totally underwhelming with $13 million out of the gate and $45 million overall.

Taking over distribution rights from Sony, Paramount is banking on Rihanna and nostalgia for this to land. That could be a challenge as younger viewers have had options this summer and the IP may not be one they’re even that familiar with.

Indications are that this might be lucky to match even the lowly Village numbers. That could mean just surpassing double digits or low teens.

Smurfs opening weekend prediction: $12.4 million

For my I Know What You Did Last Summer prediction, click here:

I Know What You Did Last Summer Box Office Prediction

For my Eddington prediction, click here:

Eddington Box Office Prediction

Oscar Predictions: KPop Demon Hunters

KPop Demon Hunters hit Netflix a couple weeks back and the animated feature’s title is accurate. The musical fantasy finds an all-girl group moonlighting as crime fighters. Maggie Kang and Chris Applehans direct with a voice cast including Arden Cho, Ayn Hyo-seop, May Hong, Ji-young Yoo, Yunjin Kim, Daniel Dae Kim, Ken Jeong, and Lee Byung-hun.

Midway through 2025, we don’t have any slam dunks in the Animated Feature race. Pixar’s Elio is a box office disappointment with good but not great reviews. Potential heavy hitters like Zootopia 2 from the Mouse House and Little Amélie or The Character of Rain from GKIDS await.

However, Hunters has surprised with strong reviews and high viewing numbers on the streamer. The Rotten Tomatoes score is 97% with Metacritic at 77. That’s certainly solid enough for it to play in Animated Feature. It might come down to the campaign that Netflix mounts as their upcoming In Your Dreams will vie for the prize as well. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

Oscar Predictions: Elio

Elio attempts to become the 20th Pixar offering to nab a Best Animated Feature nomination at the Academy Awards. Out this Friday, the sci-fi adventure is co-directed by Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, and Adrian Molina. The voice cast includes Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldaña, Remy Edgerly, Brad Garrett, Jameela Jamil, and Shirley Henderson.

Reviews are generally of the thumbs up variety, but not as laudatory as some other titles from Disney’s subsidiary. The Rotten Tomatoes score is 82% with Metacritic at 62. For comparisons sake, Pixar’s Elemental from two years ago was in that range with a 58 on Meta and 73% RT.

That was enough for Elemental to get one of the five Animated Feature slots. It should also be enough for Elio. However, I’m far less confident it will be the 11th winner of the prize. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…