Annie Award nominations: ‘Soul,’ ‘Wolfwalkers’ lead

Netflix dominates field with 40 nominations

To no one’s surprise, Disney/Pixar’s Soul and Apple TV+/Cartoon Saloon’s Wolfwalkers lead the Annie Award nominations announced on Wednesday morning with 10 each, including Best Feature (Soul), Best Indie Feature (Wolfwalkers) and Best Writing. Both also picked up multiple nominations in the character design and animation design categories.

Overall, Netflix was the big winner of the day with the most nominations, picking up 40 across multiple projects. The next biggest studio hauls were Pixar and DreamWorks Animation with 20 nominations each, followed by Cartoon Saloon with 11, Disney with nine, Cartoon Network with seven, Warner Bros. Animation with six, Nickelodeon with five and Lucasfilm with three.

A handful of juried awards were also announced this morning.

The Winsor McCay Award for career contributions will go to animation animation designer Willie Ito, whose career took him to Warner Bros., Hanna Barbera and Disney TV; character animator, director and producer Bruce Smith, who produced Bebe’s Kids, Hair Love and The Proud Family; and the late Sue Nichols, who was involved in the development of such Disney films as Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, Mulan and Pixar’s Brave.

The June Foray Award for benevolent or charitable impact on the animation industry will be given to Daisuke “Dice” Tsutsumi, co-founder of Tonko House animation studio, for starting the Totoro Forest Project and Sketchtravel, a sketchbook that passed from artist to artist across 12 countries over more than four years, benefitting charities determined by the participating artists.

Epic Games will receive the Up Iwerks Award for technical advancement for the development of its Unreal Engine real-time 3D creation tool.

A Special Achievement Award will be given to the documentary Howard, about the late Oscar winner Howard Ashman, the lyricist who collaborated with Academy Award-winning composer Alan Menken on the music for such films as Little Shop of Horrors, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin.

The 48th Annie Awards ceremony will be held virtually on Friday, April 16. Here is the full list of nominations.

Best Feature

Onward, Pixar Animation Studios

Soul, Pixar Animation Studios

The Croods: A New Age, DreamWorks Animation

The Willoughbys, Netflix Presents A BRON Animation Production in association with Creative Wealth Media

Trolls World Tour, DreamWorks Animation

Best Indie Feature

A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon, Studiocanal and Aardman present in association with Anton Capital Entertainment, an Aardman Production for Netflix

Calamity Jane, Maybe Movies

On-Gaku: Our Sound, Rock’n Roll Mountain, Tip Top

Ride Your Wave, Science SARU

Wolfwalkers, Cartoon Saloon / Melusine

Best Special Production

Baba Yaga, Baobab Studios

Libresse / Bodyform -#WombStories, Chelsea Pictures

Nixie & Nimbo, Hornet

Shooom’s Odyssey,Picolo Pictures

The Snail and the Whale, Magic Light Pictures

Best Short Subject

Filles Bleues, Peur Blanche, Miyu Productions

KKUM, open the portal

Souvenir Souvenir, Blast Production

The Places Where We Live (Cake), FX Productions and FX

World of Tomorrow Episode Three: The Absent Destinations of David Prime, Don Hertzfeldt

Best Sponsored

Erste Group ‘Edgar’s Christmas’, Pasion Animation Studios

Max & Maxine, Hornet

The Last Mile, Nexus Studios

There’s a Monster in my Kitchen, Cartoon Saloon, Mother

Travel the Vote, Hornet

Best TV/Media – Preschool

Buddi, Episode: Snow, Unanico Group

Muppet Babies, Episode: Wock-a-bye-Fozzie, Oddbot/Disney Junior

Stillwater, Episode: The Impossible Dream / Stuck in the Rain, Apple / Gaumont / Scholastic

The Adventures of Paddington, Episode: Paddington Digs a Tunnel to Peru, Blue-Zoo Animation Studio and Nickelodeon Animation Studio

Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum: I am Madam President, Episode: I am Madam President, 9 Story Media Group, Brown Bag Films

Best TV/Media – Children

Hilda, Episode: Chapter 9: The Deerfox, Silvergate Media for Netflix

Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Episode: Finale Part 4: Rise, Nickelodeon Animation Studio

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, Episode: Heart Part 2, DreamWorks Animation

Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Episode: Shattered, Lucasfilm Animation

Victor And Valentino, Episode: The Lonely Haunts Club 3: La Llorona, Cartoon Network Studios

Best TV/Media – General Audience

Close Enough, Episode: Logan’s Run’d/Room Parents, Cartoon Network Studios

Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal, Episode: Coven Of The Damned, Cartoon Network Studios

Harley Quinn, Episode: Something Borrowed, Something Green, Eshugadee Productions in association with Warner Bros. Animation

Rick and Morty, Episode: The Vat of Acid Episode, Rick and Morty LLC

The Midnight Gospel, Episode: Mouse of Silver, Titmouse Animation for Netflix

Best Student Film

100,000 Acres of Pine, Student director: Jennifer, Alice Wright School: The Animation Workshop

Coffin; Student directors: Yuanqing Cai, Nathan Crabot, Houzhi Huang, Mikolaj Janiw, Mandimby Lebon, Théo Tran Ngoc; School: Gobelins, l’école de l’image

La Bestia; Student directors: Marlijn Van Nuenen, Ram Tamez, Alfredo Gerard Kuttikatt; School: Gobelins, l’école de l’image

Latitude du printemps; Student directors: Sylvain Cuvillier, Chloé Bourdic, Théophile Coursimault, Noémie Halberstam, Ma?lis, Mosny, Zijing Ye; School: Rubika

O Black Hole!, Student director: Renee Zhan, Student producer: Jesse Romain, School: National Film and Television School, UK

Best FX for TV/Media

Fast & Furious: Spy Racers, Episode: Sirocco Fire Explosion, DreamWorks Animation; Chris Browne, Brand Webb, Russell Richardson, Ardy Ala, Reggie Fourmyle

Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous, Episode: Welcome to Jurassic World, DreamWorks Animation; Emad Khalili, Ivan Wang

Lamp Life, Episode: Lamp Life, Pixar Animation Studios; Greg Gladstone, Keith Daniel Klohn, Matthew Wong

Tales of Arcadia: Wizards, Episode: Killahead, Part Two, DreamWorks Animation; Greg Lev, Igor Lodeiro, Brandon Tyra, Cui Wei, Ma Xiao

Transformers: War For Cybertron Trilogy (Siege), Episode: Episode 6, Rooster Teeth Productions for Netflix; Masanori Sakakibara

Best FX for Feature

Over the Moon, Netflix Pearl Studio; Ian Farnsworth, Brian Casper, Reinhold Rittinger, Zoran Stojanoski, Jennifer Lasrado

Soul, Pixar Animation Studios; Tolga Göktekin, Carl Kaphan, Hiroaki Narita, Enrique Vila, Kylie Wijsmuller

The Croods: A New Age, DreamWorks Animation; Amaury Aubel, Domin Lee, Alex Timchenko, Andrew Wheeler, Derek Cheung

Trolls World Tour, DreamWorks Animation; Zachary Glynn, Landon Gray, Youxi Woo, John Kosnik, Doug Rizeakos

Wolfwalkers, Cartoon Saloon / Melusine; Kim Kelly, Leena Lecklin, Frédéric Plumey, Almu Redondo, Nicole Storck

Best Character Animation – TV/Media

Alien Xmas, Netflix Presents Fairview Entertainment / Sonar Entertainment / Chiodo Bros. Productions; Kim Blanchette

BoJack Horseman, Episode: Good Damage, Tornante Productions, LLC for Netflix; James Bowman

Cosmos: Possible Worlds, Episode: Vavilov Starburns Industries; Dan MacKenzie

Hilda, Silvergate Media for Netflix; David Laliberté

Lamp Life, Episode: Lamp Life, Pixar Animation Studios; Lucas Fraga Pacheco

Best Character Animation – Feature

Onward, Pixar Animation Studios; Shaun Chacko

Soul, Pixar Animation Studios; Michal Makarewicz

The Croods: A New Age, DreamWorks Animation; Rani Naamani

The Willoughbys, Netflix Presents A BRON, Animation Production in association with Creative Wealth Media; Andrés Bedate Martin

Wolfwalkers, Cartoon Saloon / Melusine; Emmanuel Asquier-Brassart

Best Character Animation – Live Action

The Christmas Chronicles 2; Production Company: Netflix Presents A 26th Street Pictures / Wonder Worldwide Production; FX Production Company: Weta Digital; Nick Stein, Caroline Ting, Sebastian Trujillo, David Yabu, Paul Ramsden

The Mandalorian; Production Company: Lucasfilm; FX Production Company: Image Engine; Nathan Fitzgerald, Leo Ito, Chris Rogers, Eung Ho Lo, Emily Luk

The Umbrella Academy 2; Production Company: UCP for Netflix; FX Production Company: Weta Digital; Aidan Martin, Hunter Parks, Craig Young, Viki Yeo, Krystal Sae Eua

Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made; Production Company: Walt Disney Pictures; FX Production Company: Framestore; Anders Beer, Marianne Morency, Hennadii Prykhodko, Sophie Burie, Cedric Le Poullennec

Best Character Animation – Video Game

League of Legends, Riot Games, Inc.; Jose “Sho” Hernandez, Lana Bachynski , Christopher Hsing, Matthew Johnson, Jason Hendrich

Marvel’s Spider-Man Miles Morales, Insomniac Games; Brian Wyser, Michael Yosh, Danny Garnett, David Hancock

Ori and the Will of the Wisps, Moon Studios Xbox Game Studios iam8bit; Jim Donovan, Warren Goff, Boris Hiestand, Kim Nguyen, Jason Martinsen

The Last of Us Part II, Naughty Dog; Jeremy Yates, Eric Baldwin, Almudena Soria, Michal Mach, August Davies

Best Character Design – TV/Media

Amphibia, Episode: The Shut-In!, Disney TV Animation; Joe Sparrow

BNA, Episode: Runaway Raccoon, Trigger / Netflix; Yusuke Yoshigaki

Craig of the Creek, Cartoon Network Studios; Danny Hynes

Looney Tunes Cartoons, Warner Bros. Animation; Jim Soper

The Owl House, Episode: Young Blood, Old Souls, Disney Television Animation; Marina Gardner

Best Character Design – Feature

Soul, Pixar Animation Studios; Daniel López Muñoz

The Croods: A New Age, DreamWorks Animation; Joe Pitt

The Willoughbys, Netflix Presents A BRON Animation Production in association with Creative Wealth Media; Craig Kellman

Trolls World Tour, DreamWorks Animation; Timothy Lamb

Wolfwalkers, Cartoon Saloon / Melusine; Federico Pirovano

Best Direction – TV/Media

Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal, Episode: Plague of Madness; Cartoon Network Studios; Genndy Tartakovsky

Great Pretender, Episode: Case 1_1, Los Angeles Connection Production I.G. for Fuji Television Network and Netflix; Hiro Kaburagi

Mao Mao: Heroes of Pure Heart, Episode: Mao Mao’s Nakey, Titmouse Inc / Cartoon Network Studios; Michael Moloney

Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Episode: Battle Nexus NYC, Nickelodeon Animation Studio; Alan Wan

The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse, Episode: Hard to Swallow, Disney Television Animation; Eddie Trigueros

Best Direction – Feature

Calamity Jane, Maybe Movies; Rémi Chayé

Over the Moon, Netflix Presents a Netflix/Pearl Studio Production / a Glen Keane Productions Presentation; Glen Keane

Ride Your Wave, Science SARU; Masaaki Yuasa

Soul, Pixar Animation Studios; Pete Docter, Kemp Powers

Wolfwalkers, Cartoon Saloon / Melusine; Tomm Moore, Ross Stewart

Best Music – TV/Media

Blood of Zeus, Episode: Escape or Die; Powerhouse Animation Studios for Netflix; Paul Edward-Francis

Mira Royal Detective, Episode: The Great Diwali Mystery, Wild Canary / Disney Junior; Amritha Vaz, Matthew Tishler, Jeannie Lurie

Star Trek: Lower Decks, Episode: Crisis Point, CBS’s Eye Animation Productions, Titmouse; Secret Hideout; and Roddenberry Entertainment; Chris Westlake

Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Episode: Victory and Death, Lucasfilm Animation; Kevin Kiner

The Tiger That Came to Tea, Lupus Films; David Arnold, Don Black

Best Music – Feature

Onward, Pixar Animation Studios; Mychael Danna, Jeff Danna

Over the Moon, Netflix Presents a Netflix/Pearl Studio Production / a Glen Keane Productions Presentation; Steven Price, Christopher Curtis, Marjorie Duffield, Helen Park

Soul, Pixar Animation Studios; Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Jon Batiste

The Willoughbys, Netflix Presents A BRON Animation Production in association with Creative Wealth Media; Mark Mothersbaugh, Alessia Cara, Jon Levine, Colton Fisher

Wolfwalkers, Cartoon Saloon / Melusine; Bruno Coulais, Kíla

Best Production Design – TV/Media

Baba Yaga, Baobab Studios; Glenn Hernandez, Matthieu Saghezchi

Shooom’s Odyssey, Picolo Pictures; Julien Bisaro

The Adventures of Paddington Episode: Paddington and Halloween, Blue-Zoo Animation Studio and Nickelodeon Animation Studio; Negar Bagheri

To: Gerard, DreamWorks Animation; Raymond Zibach

Trash Truck, Glen Keane Productions for Netflix; Eastwood Wong, Sylvia Liu, Elaine Lee, Tor Aunet, Lauren Zurcher

Best Production Design – Feature

Onward, Pixar Animation Studios; Noah Klocek, Sharon Calahan, Huy Nguyen, Bert Berry, Paul Conrad

Soul, Pixar Animation Studios; Steve Pilcher, Albert Lozano, Paul Abadilla, Bryn Imagire

The Willoughbys, Netflix Presents A BRON Animation Production in association with Creative Wealth Media; Kyle McQueen

Trolls World Tour, DreamWorks Animation; Kendal Cronkhite Shaindlin, Timothy Lamb

Wolfwalkers, Cartoon Saloon / Melusine; María Pareja, Ross Stewart, Tomm Moore

Best Storyboarding – TV/Media

Archibald’s Next Big Thing, Episode: Baritone Tea Part 1, DreamWorks Animation; Ben McLaughlin

Big City Greens, Episode: Cheap Show, Walt Disney Television Animation; Kiana Khansmith

Looney Tunes Cartoons, Warner Bros. Animation; Andrew Dickman

Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion’s Revenge, Warner Bros. Animation; Milo Neuman

Shooom’s Odyssey, Picolo Pictures; Julien Bisaro

Best Storyboarding – Feature

Earwig and the Witch, Studio Ghibli; Goro Miyazaki

Over the Moon, Netflix Presents a Netflix/Pearl Studio Production / a Glen Keane Productions Presentation; Glen Keane

Soul, Pixar Animation Studios; Trevor Jimenez

The Croods: A New Age, DreamWorks Animation; Evon Freeman

Wolfwalkers, Cartoon Saloon / Melusine; Guillaume Lorin

Best Voice Acting – TV/Media

Dragons Rescue Riders, Episode: Hunt for the Golden Dragon, DreamWorks Animation; Jeff Bennett (Erik the Wretched)

It’s Pony, Episode: Episode 107, Blue-Zoo Animation and Nickelodeon Animation Studio; Jessica DiCicco (Annie)

Phineas and Ferb the Movie Episode: Candace Against the Universe, Walt Disney Television Animation & Disney Plus; Ashley Tisdale (Candace)

Tales of Arcadia: Wizards, Episode: Our Final Act, DreamWorks Animation; David Bradley (Merlin)

ThunderCats ROAR!, Episode: ThunderSlobs, Warner Bros. Animation; Patrick Seitz (Mumm-Ra, Tygra)

Best Voice Acting – Feature

Earwig and the Witch, Studio Ghibli; Vanessa Marshall (Bella Yaga)

Onward, Pixar Animation Studios; Tom Holland (Ian Lightfoot)

Over the Moon, Netflix Presents a Netflix/Pearl Studio Production / a Glen Keane Productions

Presentation; Robert G. Chiu (Chin)

The Croods: A New Age, DreamWorks Animation; Nicolas Cage (Grug)

Wolfwalkers, Cartoon Saloon / Melusine; Eva Whittaker (Mebh Óg MacTíre)

Best Writing – TV/Media

Big Mouth, Episode: The New Me, Netflix; Andrew Goldberg, Patti Harrison, Andrew Goldberg

Craig of the Creek, Cartoon Network Studios; Jeff Trammell, Tiffany Ford, Dashawn Mahone, Najja Porter

Fancy Nancy, Episode: Nancy’s New Friend, Disney Television Animation; Krista Tucker, Andy Guerdat, Matt Hoverman, Laurie Israel, Marisa Evans-Sanden

Harley Quinn, Episode: Something Borrowed, Something Green; Eshugadee Productions in association with Warner Bros. Animation; Sarah Peters

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, Episode: Heart Part 2, DreamWorks Animation; Noelle Stevenson

Best Writing – Feature

A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon, Studiocanal and Aardman present in association with Anton Capital Entertainment, An Aardman Production for Netflix; Mark Burton, Jon Brown

Onward, Pixar Animation Studios; Dan Scanlon, Jason Headley, Keith Bunin

Over the Moon, Netflix Presents a Netflix/Pearl Studio Production / a Glen Keane Productions Presentation; Audrey Wells

Soul, Pixar Animation Studios; Pete Docter, Mike Jones, Kemp Powers

Wolfwalkers, Cartoon Saloon / Melusine; Will Collins

Best Editorial – TV/Media

Cops and Robbers, Lawrence Bender Productions for Netflix; Brandon Terry, Ezra Dweck, Del Spiva

Hilda, Episode: Chapter 9: The Deerfox, Silvergate Media for Netflix; John McKinnon

If Anything Happens I Love You, Gilbert Films / Oh Good Productions for Netflix; Peter Ettinger, Michael Babcock

Lamp Life, Episode: Lamp Life, Pixar Animation Studios; Serena Warner

To: Gerard, DreamWorks Animation; James Ryan

Best Editorial – Feature

A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon, Studiocanal and Aardman present in association with Anton Capital Entertainment, An Aardman Production for Netflix; Sim Evan-Jones, ACE, Adrian Rhodes

Calamity Jane, Maybe Movies; Benjamin Massoubre

Onward, Pixar Animation Studios; Catherine Apple, Anna Wolitzky, Dave Suther

Soul, Pixar Animation Studios; Kevin Nolting, Gregory Amundson, Robert Grahamjones, Amera Rizk

The Willoughbys, Netflix Presents A BRON Animation Production inassociation with Creative Wealth Media; Fiona Toth, Ken Schretzmann, ACE