‘Jurassic World,’ ‘Star Wars’ among 10 contenders for visual effects Oscar

As the holiday season revs up, so too does awards season. And with nominations already in for both the Golden Globes and the Screen Actors Guild Awards, all we wait for are the coveted nominations for the industry’s top prize -- the Oscars. To hold us over until they’re announced on Jan. 14, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences revealed Monday the shortlist of potential nominees for one category, best visual effects.

The list of 10 includes “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” and “Jurassic World.”

“Star Wars” opened this week to record-breaking box office numbers. Directed by J.J. Abrams, the seventh installation of the space saga stars franchise staples Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher along with newbies John Boyega, Lupita Nyong’o and Daisy Ridley.

“Jurassic World” opened in June to acclaim from fans and critics alike. The Colin Trevorrow-directed picture stars Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard. This is the fourth film in the “Jurassic Park” franchise about dinosaurs.

The list also includes “The Martian,” “Tomorrowland” and “The Revenant,” which opens in theaters Christmas Day.

Next on the journey to an Oscar nomination involves all members of the Visual Effects Branch of the Academy. They will view 10-minute excerpts from each of the shortlisted films then decide on the final five that will receive the nomination.

Check out the full list of potential nominees below:

“Ant-Man”
“Avengers: Age of Ultron”
“Ex Machina”
“Jurassic World”
“Mad Max: Fury Road”
“The Martian”
“The Revenant”
“Star Wars: The Force Awakens”
“Tomorrowland”
“The Walk”

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