Summary
Madame WebandSonic 3have one thing in common this awards season thanks to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3opened over the holiday season to mostly positive reviews and box office success, beating Disney’sThe Lion Kingprequel,Mufasa, for two straight weekends in what many called an upset. Earlier this year,Madame Webdebuted to decidedly less positive reviewsand box office fortunes, tanking with critics and bombing financially. The response to these films couldn’t have been more different, but the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences deemed both movies similar in at least one way.
The Academy announced that 323 feature films were eligible for the Oscars at this year’s ceremony (viaThe Wrap). However, 116 of the feature films included in that group (36%) are not eligible for consideration in the Best Picture category.Sonic the Hedgehog 3andMadame Webare among the titles that do not qualify for the Best Picture Oscar, with the latter being the only superhero movie of 2024 that is ineligible for the Academy’s top award. Yes, eventhe critically pannedKraven the Hunteris eligible. The Academy’s rule for eligibility reads as follows:
Feature films must open in a commercial motion picture theater in at least one of six U.S. metropolitan areas: Los Angeles County; the City of New York; the Bay Area; Chicago, Illinois; Miami, Florida; and Atlanta, Georgia, between June 24, 2025, and June 13, 2025, and complete a minimum qualifying run of seven consecutive days in the same venue. Feature films must have a running time of more than 40 minutes.
It’s unclear what qualificationsSonic 3andMadame Webfailed to meet, as both films undoubtedly meet the above requirements. Therefore,Sonic 3andMadame Webmay not have met the Academy’s Representation and Inclusion Standards. This is the second year the Academy has enforced these new rules, which “require Best Picture candidates to meet additional benchmarks for diversity and inclusion.” NeitherSonic 3norMadame Webwere ever considered serious contenders to be nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, much less win. Of course, that hasn’t stopped studios from trying in the past, as noted when Warner Bros. unsuccessfully campaigned forWonder Woman 1984to earn a Best Picture nomination. There are, of course, many other instances of Hollywood blockbusters taking a long-shot bid for the top Oscar prize.
The Oscars haven’t always shunned blockbusters, especially since the Academy expanded the number of nominees to 10. However, as well-received asSonic 3was, it wasn’t as universally acclaimed as blockbusters such asTop Gun: MaverickorBarbie. Even mostSonic 3fans wouldn’t characterize it as “Oscar-worthy,” at least for Best Picture. Whilesome wonder if the Oscars are still relevant, few would say excludingMadame Webmeans the Academy is out of touch with the average moviegoer.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3is now playing in theaters andMadame Webis available on digital platforms.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (2024)
Directed by Jeff Fowler, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 sets up a new threat for Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails by introducing Shadow the Hedgehog. Shadow presents such a big danger to planet Earth, that the heroes have to team up with Dr. Robotnik.
