Disney pushing ‘Black Panther’ for 16 Oscars, ‘Infinity War’ for 1

Marvel
Studios

• Disney is pushing “Black Panther” in 16 Oscar categories and
  “Avengers: Infinity War” in just one: visual effects.
• The categories “Black Panther” is campaigning for include
  picture, director, actor, supporting actor, and supporting
  actress.
• It’s Marvel’s biggest push into the Oscar race.

Disney reigns supreme at the box office this year with its
superhero hits, but when it comes to the Oscars, it’s betting
everything on one of them: “Black Panther,” the highest-grossing
movie of 2018 in the US.

Disney is pushing the movie in 16 Oscar categories out of 24,
according to its “For Your Consideration” website (via
Indiewire), and its other
Marvel blockbuster, “Avengers: Infinity War,” in just one.

While “Infinity War” campaigns for only visual effects, “Black
Panther” will be competing for a nomination in most major awards,
including picture, director (Ryan Coogler), actor (Chadwick
Boseman), adapted screenplay, original song (“All The Stars” by
SZA and Kendrick Lamar), supporting actor, and supporting
actress.

In the latter two categories, seven and four actors are being
pushed, respectively, including Michael B. Jordan for his
acclaimed performance as the villain Killmonger.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences briefly
introduced a new category earlier this year, Best Popular Film,
but quickly scrapped those
plans in September after outcry against it. But Disney
always had Best Picture in its sights, and was going to push hard for it
either way.

Disney is campaigning other films in numerous categories, such
as “Incredibles 2” and the upcoming “Mary Poppins Returns,” but
“Black Panther” has already received major Oscar buzz. It’s the
first time Marvel Studios, which has never won an Oscar, has
seriously pushed one of its films in the awards race, as it
hired an Oscars strategist to lead the campaign.

For a full list of what “Black Panther” is campaigning for, click
here.