“Alita: Battle Angel,” “The Lion King” and “Toy Story 4” lead all films in nominations for the Visual Effects Society’s 18th annual VES Awards, which were announced on Tuesday morning. Those three films received five nominations each in the 25 categories encompassing film, television and special projects.
But two television shows, “Game of Thrones” and “The Mandalorian,” received six nominations each to lead all projects. Three of the nominations for “The Mandalorian” were for the character of “The Child,” better known to fans of the show as Baby Yoda, or for the episode that bears his name.
In the Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature category, the VES category that corresponds most closely to the Oscars’ Best Visual Effects category, the nominees were “Alita: Battle Angel,” “Avengers: Endgame,” “Gemini Man,” “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” and “The Lion King.” All five of those films are on the Oscars shortlist for visual effects.
Two other films on that shortlist, “1917” and “The Irishman,” were nominated in the Outstanding Supporting Effects in a Photoreal Feature category. Another two films shortlisted by the Academy, “Terminator: Dark Fate” and “Captain Marvel,” received single VES nominations.
The final shortlisted film, “Cats,” was not nominated by the VES.
In addition to “The Mandalorian” and the final season of “Game of Thrones,” television shows with multiple nominations included “Stranger Things,” “Lost in Space” and “Lady and the Tramp.”
Last year, four of the five nominees for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature category went on to receive Oscar nominations.
The one that did not, “First Man,” was nominated by the VES for Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature, and went on to win the Oscar.
Over the first 17 years of the VES Awards, almost 75% of the Oscar nominees have first been nominated in that category by the VES.
The 18th annual VES Awards will take place on Jan. 29 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Also at the ceremony, director Roland Emmerich will receive the VES Visionary Award, Martin Scorsese will be given the VES Lifetime Achievement Award and VFX supervisor Sheena Duggal will receive the VES Award for Creative Excellence.
For the full list of nominated VES artists in each category, check the VES website.
The nominees:
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature
“Alita: Battle Angel”
“Avengers: Endgame”
“Gemini Man”
“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”
“The Lion King”
Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature
“1917”
“Ford v Ferrari”
“Joker”
“The Aeronauts”
“The Irishman”
Outstanding Visual Effects in an Animated Feature
“Frozen II”
“Klaus”
“Missing Link”
“The Lego Movie 2”
“Toy Story 4”
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode
“Game of Thrones”: “The Bells”
“His Dark Materials”: “The Fight to the Death”
“Lady and the Tramp”
“Lost in Space”: Episode: Ninety-Seven
“Stranger Things”: “Chapter Six: E Pluribus Unum”
“The Mandalorian”: “The Child”
Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode
“Chernobyl”: 1:23:45
“Living With Yourself”: “Nice Knowing You”
“See”: “Godflame”
“The Crown”: “Aberfan”
“Vikings”: “What Happens in the Cave”
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Real-Time Project
“Call of Duty Modern Warfare”
“Control”
“Gears 5”
“Myth: A Frozen Tale”
“Vader Immortal: Episode I”
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Commercial
Anthem “Conviction”
BMW “Legend”
Hennessy: “The Seven Worlds”
PlayStation: “Feel The Power of Pro”
Purdey’s: “Hummingbird”
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Special Venue Project
“Avengers: Damage Control”
“Jurassic World: The Ride”
“Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run”
“Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance”
“Universal Sphere”
Outstanding Animated Character in a Photoreal Feature
“Alita: Battle Angel”: Alita
“Avengers: Endgame”: Smart Hulk
“Gemini Man”: Junior
“The Lion King”: Scar
Outstanding Animated Character in an Animated Feature
“Frozen II”: The Water Nøkk
“Klaus”: Jesper
“Missing Link”: Susan
“Toy Story 4”: Bo Peep
Outstanding Animated Character in an Episode or Real-Time Project
“Lady and the Tramp”: Tramp
“Stranger Things 3”: Tom/Bruce Monster
“The Mandalorian”: The Child; Mudhorn
“The Umbrella Academy”: Pilot; Pogo
Outstanding Animated Character in a Commercial
“Apex Legend”: Meltdown; Mirage
“Churchill”: Churchie
“Cyberpunk 2077”: Dex
“John Lewis”: Excitable Edgar; Edgar
Outstanding Created Environment in a Photoreal Feature
“Aladdin”: Agrabah
“Alita: Battle Angel”: Iron City
“Motherless Brooklyn”: Penn Station
“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”: Pasaana Desert
“The Lion King”: The Pridelands
Outstanding Created Environment in an Animated Feature
“Frozen II”: Giants’ Gorge
“How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World”: The Hidden World
“Missing Link”: Passage to India Jungle
“Toy Story 4”: Antiques Mall
Outstanding Created Environment in an Episode, Commercial, or Real-Time Project
“Game of Thrones”: The Iron Throne; Red Keep Plaza
“Lost in Space”: Precipice; The Trench
“The Dark Crystal: The Age of Resistance”: The Endless Forest
Tthe Mandalorian”: Nevarro Town
Outstanding Virtual Cinematography in a CG Project
“Alita: Battle Angel”
“The Lion King”
“The Mandalorian”: The Prisoner; The Roost
“Toy Story 4”
Outstanding Model in a Photoreal or Animated Project
“Lost in Space”: The Resolute
“Missing Link”: The Manchuria
“The Man in the High Castle”: Rocket Train
“The Mandalorian”: The Sin; The Razorcrest
Outstanding Effects Simulations in a Photoreal Feature
“Dumbo”: Bubble Elephants
“Spider-Man: Far From Home”: Molten Man
“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”
“The Lion King”
Outstanding Effects Simulations in an Animated Feature
“Abominable”
“Frozen II”
“How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World”: Water and Waterfalls
“Toy Story 4”
Outstanding Effects Simulations in an Episode, Commercial, or Real-Time Project
“Game of Thrones”: The Bells
“Hennessy: The Seven Worlds”
“Lost in Space”: Precipice; Water Planet
“Stranger Things 3”: Melting Tom/Bruce
“The Mandalorian”: The Child; Mudhorn
Outstanding Compositing in a Feature
“Alita: Battle Angel”
“Avengers: Endgame”
“Captain Marvel”: Young Nick Fury
“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”
“The Irishman”
Outstanding Compositing in an Episode
“Game of Thrones”: The Bells
“Game of Thrones”: The Long Night; Dragon Ground Battle
“Stranger Things 3”: Starcourt Mall Battle
“Watchmen”: Pilot; Looking Glass
Outstanding Compositing in a Commercial
“BMW Legend”
“Feeding America; I Am Hunger in America”
“Hennessy; The Seven Worlds”
“PlayStation: Feel the Power of Pro”
Outstanding Special (Practical) Effects in a Photoreal or Animated Project
“Aladdin”: Magic Carpet
“Game of Thrones”: The Bells
“Terminator: Dark Fate”
“The Dark Crystal: The Age of Resistance”: “She Knows All the Secrets”
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Student Project
“Downfall”
“Love and Fifty Megatons”
“Oeil Pour Oeil”
“The Beauty”