Avatar: Fire and Ash has emerged as the frontrunner at the upcoming Visual Effects Society (VES) Awards, earning 10 nominations, including the prestigious category for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature.

In the animation categories, there is a three-way tie for the most nominations. KPop Demon Hunters (Netflix and Sony Pictures Animation), Elio (Disney and Pixar), and Zootopia 2 (Disney) each received five nominations.

On the television side, Stranger Things, The Last of Us, and Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age each secured four nominations, highlighting the strength of visual effects in episodic content.

Eric Saindon, VFX supervisor for Avatar: Fire and Ash, previously discussed the technical challenges of creating realistic fire effects, noting the complexity of simulating fire’s behavior and appearance in different environments. He emphasized the importance of accurately representing the scale and movement of embers to convey the size and intensity of scenes.

Other nominees for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature include F1: The Movie, Jurassic World: Rebirth, The Lost Bus, and How To Train Your Dragon.

Nominations were determined by VES members worldwide during the Society’s Global Nomination Event, which featured 46 in-person and 14 virtual judging panels across seven regions, including Asia, Europe, India, Oceania, and three in North America. This global participation underscores the Society’s international reach and commitment to peer-led evaluation.

VES Board Chair Kim Davidson praised the artistry and innovation of visual effects professionals, stating, “Visual effects artists and producers are at the forefront of cinematic artistry and technological innovation, whether their work is being seen on the big screen, on a mobile device, or in special venue settings.” Davidson also expressed gratitude to the global network of member volunteers who support the rigorous peer review process.

Diana Colella, Executive Vice President of Media & Entertainment at Autodesk, sponsor of the VES Student Award, highlighted the impressive creativity and technical skill demonstrated by this year’s student nominees, noting their contributions to the future of visual storytelling.

Comedy duo Randy and Jason Sklar (the Sklar Brothers) will return as hosts for the 24th Annual VES Awards, marking their second consecutive year in this role. Special honorees this year include acclaimed film producer Jerry Bruckheimer, who will receive the VES Lifetime Achievement Award, and Sir Richard Taylor, co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of Wētā Workshop, who will be honored with the VES Visionary Award.

The 24th Annual VES Awards ceremony will take place on February 25 at The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.

Full List of Nominees for the 24th Annual VES Awards:

• Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature
  • F1: The Movie – Ryan Tudhope, Nikeah Forde, Robert Harrington, Nicolas Chevallier, Keith Alfred Dawson
  • Jurassic World: Rebirth – David Vickery, Carlos Ciudad, Steve Aplin, Charmaine Chan, Neil Corbould, VES
  • The Lost Bus – Charlie Noble, Gavin Round, David Zaretti, Russell Bowen, Brandon K. McLaughlin
  • Avatar: Fire and Ash – Richard Baneham, Peter Litvack, Eric Saindon, Nicky Muir, Steve Ingram
  • How To Train Your Dragon – Christian Manz, Christopher Raimo, Glen McIntosh, Glenn Melenhorst, Terry Palmer
• Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature
  • Dongji Rescue – Tim Crosbie, Celeste Chen, Christian Sjöstedt, Lea Benjovitz
  • A House of Dynamite – Chris Harvey, Dione Wood, Jon Mitchell, Matthew Lane
  • Warfare – Simon Stanley-Clamp, Kaley Edwards, Andrew Kinnear, Samir Ansari, Ryan Conder
  • Sinners – Michael Ralla, James Alexander, Nick Marshall, Espen Nordahl, Donnie Dean
  • After the Hunt – Fabio Cerrito, Virginia Cefaly, Marco Fiorani Parenzi, Maura Manfredi
• Outstanding Animation in an Animated Feature
  • The Bad Guys 2 – Pierre Perifel, Damon Ross, Matt Baer, Benjamin Willis
  • KPop Demon Hunters – Joshua Beveridge, Jacky Priddle, Benjamin Hendricks, Clara Chan
  • Zootopia 2 – Gregory Smith, Laurie Au, Marlon West, Shweta Viswanathan
  • In Your Dreams – Sacha Kapijimpanga, Carey Smith, Nicola Lavender, Steve Pilcher
  • Elio – Claudia Chung Sanii, Mary Alice Drumm, Harley Jessup, Dave Quirus

For the complete list of nominees across all categories, please refer to the official VES Awards announcement.

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