Marvel Is Ignoring ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ In Favor Of ‘Black Panther’ For Oscars Consideration

Of the two Wakanda-set films released this year (unless there’s a scene from Gotti I’m forgetting), only one has the chance to take home multiple Oscars.

Disney’s “For Your Consideration” page for the 91st Academy Awards shows that the studio plans to submit Black Panther for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor/Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Original Song, among other categories. Meanwhile, Avengers: Infinity War, with a worldwide box office of over $2 billion (Black Panther is “only” at $1.3 billion), is only being considered for a single category: Best Visual Effects.

No pressure, Dan DeLeeuw, Kelly Port, Russell Earl, and Dan Sudick.

Despite the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s overwhelming financial success and cultural dominance, Marvel Studios hasn’t had much luck on Oscar night. Seventeen films (that’s everything from Iron Man to Thor: Ragnarok) has led to only nine nominations, most in the Best Visual Effects category, and zero wins. That’s right: Suicide Squad has more Oscars than every Marvel film, combined.

Iron Man

Sound Editing, Visual Effects

Iron Man 2

Visual Effects

The Avengers

Visual Effects

Iron Man 3

Visual Effects

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Visual Effects

Guardians of the Galaxy

Makeup and Hairstyling, Visual Effects

Doctor Strange

Visual Effects

Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2

Visual Effects

Disney and Marvel going all-in on Black Panther is a smart call, though. Big-budget superhero films are, rightly or wrongly, ignored in favor of more “typical Oscar” fare that they don’t want to make voters choose and potentially split the ballot. Plus, despite Black Panther and Infinity War both receiving strong reviews from critics, Ryan Coogler’s film is a singular achievement, with more distinct performances (save Josh Brolin), if not the better film altogether.

Still. It would be fun to see Thanos holding an Oscar in the Infinity Gauntlet.