Ethan Carter
Years after Guillermo del Toro proclaimed “animation is cinema” during the Oscars, the animation industry still struggles for recognition within Hollywood.
A recent report from Variety features insights from various industry professionals discussing the perception of animation in the West. While it is often viewed as a medium primarily for children—sometimes referred to as a “babysitter” format—it has consistently proven to be a lucrative segment of the film market. For instance, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is the only film in 2026 to surpass $1 billion in box office revenue, while Inside Out 2 and Zootopia 2 have also enjoyed significant success for Disney. as one animator expressed, this success can be “frustrating” to witness; studios may celebrate an animated film’s financial achievements and accolades, yet they often turn to long-standing employees and declare, ‘We don’t need you anymore.’
Pixar president Jim Morris accurately pointed out that animation is currently “propping up a lot of studios.” In contrast, chief creative officer Pete Docter shared a different perspective. He suggested that animation is often relegated to the category of “films for kids,” as many of these movies tend to be “funny, goofy, [and] and somewhat akin to babysitter material. There’s room for us to elevate our standards [as an industry].” However, Docter did not elaborate on what “elevating” would involve, and it is important to recognize Pixar’s retreat from exploring more nuanced themes and perspectives in recent years, as well as his insights on this regression.
On the other hand, Laika is tackling this issue by encouraging audiences to view their films as just movies. Chief marketing officer David Burke explained to Variety that the Wildwood studio does not label their films as animated; instead, they trust “[our] audiences to discover our movies, regardless of the medium. Our films defy categorization.” This strategy may also reflect the studio’s ongoing development of several live-action projects, but Burke’s overarching message remains clear: to eliminate stigma, animated films should be marketed in the same way as traditional movies.
For animation enthusiasts, a true indicator of respect for the medium would be if an animated film were awarded “Best Feature” at the Oscars. Achieving this is a significant challenge, and opinions among industry professionals vary. Morris advocates for animation professionals to be eligible for Oscar voting, while Jorge Gutiérrez argues that live-action films possess an inherent advantage, as “too many Academy members” tend to view animated films as something to tolerate.
For further insights into the thoughts and feelings of Hollywood’s animation community, you can read the complete story here.
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Daniel Mercer
