The conversation on the potential for superhero films to garner Oscar awards and nominations has been ongoing. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is the franchise that has been a major subject of debate when it comes to winning Oscars, and the talks have further amplified in recent years. However, Black Panther's seven Oscar nominations and its three Oscar wins in 2019 might have silenced doubters for a while, further proving that a comic book movie can become something more profound for people around the globe.
As the MCU embraces a new chapter in 2021, the studio appears to be pushing for more Oscar awards in the near future. This was cemented by Marvel's plethora of "For Your Consideration" campaigns for projects such as Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Eternals, and Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Sony Pictures' strategy to push No Way Home for Oscar nominations and awards also made headlines, signaling that the studio was going all-in to help the film make even more history.
Now, it looks like some of those campaigns paid off, as official nominations for two Marvel films have been officially announced.
Shang-Chi and Spider-Man Earn Oscar Nominations
The Academy announced the 2022 Oscar nominations and Marvel Studios officially has two entries under the Best Visual Effects category.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Spider-Man: No Way Home are two of the five films nominated for Best Visual Effects. The other nominees are Dune, No Time To Die, and Free Guy.
In celebration of Shang-Chi's nomination, Marvel Studios officially unveiled a new poster for the Simu Liu-led movie:
Sony Pictures also revealed a new poster for No Way Home to celebrate the film's Oscar nomination:
Can Shang-Chi or Spider-Man Win an Oscar?
Shang-Chi and No Way Home's Oscar nominations should serve as a reminder that superhero films are still being recognized by The Academy.
Although fans of the Tom Holland-led threequel were strongly expecting the movie to crack the Best Picture category, the Oscar nomination for Best Visual Effects is already a noteworthy feat.
The Simu Liu-led MCU flick has been the surprise contender for the franchise ever since its debut, especially after the overwhelmingly positive reception that it received from fans and critics. This Oscar nomination is another display that Shang-Chi had a solid debut, and this could serve as a positive sign for its already-confirmed sequel.
Meanwhile, the absence of Chloé Zhao's Eternals is also noteworthy, especially after Zhao's Oscar dominance in the 2021 edition of the awards night.
MCU films have been a common staple in the Oscars' Best Visual Effects category, with the franchise garnering a total of 10 nominations from 2008-2019. These films include the likes of Iron Man, The Avengers, Doctor Strange, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame.
With these nominations, Shang-Chi and No Way Home join the list, bringing it up to a total of 12 nominations and making them the first Phase 4 films to achieve such a feat. Given that No Way Home is made by Sony Pictures, the threequel joins Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2 as fellow films which are headlined by the web-slinger to receive such an achievement.
Spider-Man: No Way Home is now playing in theaters worldwide, while Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is currently streaming on Disney+.
