Few film fans need to be told that Disney has an inside track when it comes to Oscar glory. Disney’s influence over the Best Animated Feature category has been unrivaled since its inception in 2001. A powerhouse in animation, Disney and its prestige subsidiary Pixar have secured a staggering 15 wins out of 22 nominations in the category. In fact, there are few Pixar outliers that aren’t nominated for Best Animated Feature. Titles like Finding Nemo, Frozen, Toy Story 3, and Zootopia have not only resonated with audiences globally but also earned critical acclaim, cementing Disney’s dominance.
This impeccable rhythm of success has created high expectations. Yet, after two consecutive losses in 2023 and 2024, with Pixar’s Elemental most recently losing Best Animated Movie to Studio Ghibli, their current situation is precarious. Without a victory in 2025, Disney will face an unprecedented Oscar drought, a potentially tarnishing moment for the studio’s illustrious awards legacy.
Inside Out 2 & Moana 2 Are Potential Best Animated Movie Oscar Nominees In 2025
Disney’s Top Contenders Are Poised For Award Season
Inside Out 2 is widely seen as Disney’s best shot at reclaiming Oscar glory in 2025. The originalInside Outfrom 2015 was a critical darling, hailed for its groundbreaking exploration of emotions and mental health. It won the Best Animated Feature Oscar in 2016, further solidifying Pixar’s reputation for combining innovative storytelling with emotional depth.
The sequel revisits Riley’s life, this time focusing on her teenage years and the new emotions that arise. With many critics arguing that Inside Out 2 maintains the originality and heart of its predecessor, it stands a strong chance of not only earning a nomination but potentially overcoming its competitors to win the category.
While Inside Out 2 seems like a sure nominee, Moana 2 holds a somewhat shakier position. The original 2016 Moana was a massive success, praised for its lush animation, empowering story, and unforgettable soundtrack, including the Oscar-nominated anthem “How Far I’ll Go.” Although Moana earned a Best Animated Feature nomination, it ultimately lost to Disney’s other heavyweight that year, Zootopia.
Related
The Moana Movies’ 10 Best Songs, Ranked
The best songs across Moana and Moana 2 highlight what makes the two films such strong and flexible modern additions to the Disney musical canon.
The sequel builds on the adventures of its trailblazing heroine and her Polynesian roots. However, sequels to standalone animated films often face an uphill battle in delivering fresh narratives that match or exceed the original. While the film has garnered strongly positive reviews, Moana 2 will need to pull off an extraordinary feat to edge out competitors and secure a win.
Disney Is At Risk Of Its Longest Drought Of Not Winning The Best Animated Movie Oscar
Three Years Without Academy Gold Would Be Unprecedented For The Mouse House
Historically, Disney has never gone longer than two years without a win in the Best Animated Feature category. Beyond tradition, the symbolism of an Oscars win carries immense weight for Disney’s brand identity. It affirms their commitment to excellence in animation, boosts box office revenue, and inspires confidence from stakeholders.
With nominations, both Inside Out 2 and Moana 2 present opportunities to reclaim that glory. However, the stakes are higher than mere awards — 2025 could signal whether Disney remains the powerhouse of animated storytelling or begins ceding its crown to equally inventive competitors, such as DreamWorks, Studio Ghibli, or other emerging animation studios.
Will Inside Out 2 Or Moana 2 Win The Best Animated Movie Oscar For Disney?
Disney Seeks To Turn The Tide And Reclaim Its Iconic Animation Dominance
Speaking of competitors, the road to Oscar success in 2025 won’t be easy, with formidable challengers ready to take on the House of Mouse. The current frontrunner appears to be The Wild Robot, an adaptation of Peter Brown’s critically acclaimed novel. Produced by Sony Pictures Animation, the studio behind the Spider-Verse trilogy, this film has already generated immense buzz for The Wild Robot‘s unique art style and poignant narrative about AI coexisting with nature and humanity.
Given Sony’s recent success in redefining animation norms,
The Wild Robot
poses a significant threat to both
Inside Out 2
and
Moana 2
.
The Wild Robot taps into timely themes of technology and environmentalism, ideas that should resonate strongly with contemporary audiences and Oscar voters alike. Given Sony’s recent success in redefining animation norms, The Wild Robot poses a significant threat to both Inside Out 2 and Moana 2. That said, Pixar’s legacy and emotional storytelling prowess have overturned competition before: just recall how Coco triumphed in 2018 despite stiff opposition from The Boss Baby, Ferdinand, Loving Vincent, and The Breadwinner.
While it’s easy to trumpet the singular artistry of The Wild Robot, Disney’s absence from the Oscars stage for three consecutive years would mark an unprecedented low point for the studio. Success stories like Toy Story 3 (2011) and Toy Story 4 (2020) demonstrate that Disney’s sequels are capable of combining nostalgia with originality, a balance critical for awards success. If Inside Out 2 can replicate its emotional resonance or Moana 2 delivers groundbreaking visual artistry for Oscar voters, Disney might just have a fighting chance to stave off a serious award black eye next March.
Inside Out 2
Inside Out 2 is the sequel to the 2015 original film, which starred a young girl named Riley with a head full of emotions. – literally. With Amy Pohler as Joy, Bill Hader as fear, Mindy Kaling as Disgust, Phyllis Smith as Sadness, and Lewis Black as Anger, the all-star cast brought to life the emotions that adolescents face as they grow, change, and adapt to new situations. This sequel, currently in development, will bring Amy Pohler back as Joy, with Riley, now a teenager.
Moana 2
Moana 2 is the sequel to the 2016 animated film Moana. Directed by David G. Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller, the film continues the journey of Moana as she embarks on new adventures, exploring the vast Pacific Ocean while encountering new characters and challenges along the way.
