K-Pop Warriors face their biggest rival in the Oscar race

K-Pop Warriors became an unexpected phenomenon in 2025. Netflix’s animated feature won over a global audience, became the platform’s most watched original and had a global hit with the song Golden. For months, the film seemed isolated at the top of the Oscar race. Best Animation e Best Original Song. The cultural strength, the permanence in the Global Top 10 of streaming and the repercussion of the characters created a wave that was difficult to beat.

The race, however, began to change after the release of Zootopia 2 in theaters. With a discreet campaign and reviews released at the last minute, the Disney film seemed to pose no threat. Until the first reviews arrived. The sequel debuted with 91% approval on Rotten Tomatoes, becoming the studio’s most praised release since Encanto, winner of the same category in 2022.

This immediate performance put direct pressure on K-Pop Warriors. Until then, the isolated leader, the Netflix film now sees its main competitor grow precisely in the category in which it seemed unbeatable. Zootopia 2 brings the weight of a traditional studio at the Oscars, in addition to the emotional and family appeal that has historically stood out at the awards.

K-Pop warriors have great competition

The dispute also comes up against Netflix’s delicate moment within the industry. The platform is involved in the attempt to buy Warner Bros., a move that worries much of Hollywood and raises criticism about the future of theatrical releases. This context may influence voters who are more sensitive to defending theaters, especially after years of friction involving the presence of streaming at the Oscars.

Netflix’s own history at the awards ceremony contributes to the uncertainty. The company has already received several nominations and even won important categories, such as Best Animated Feature with Pinocchio by Guillermo del Toro, but it rarely turns favoritism into proportional victories. The discussion resurfaced recently when James Cameron argued that films without a wide theatrical release should not compete at the Oscars, reigniting resistance from part of the sector to the platform’s model.

Meanwhile, K-Pop Warriors remains strong in the Best Original Song category. Golden continues to be a global phenomenon, and performances by the fictional group HUNTR/X came to life outside of the film, reinforcing their presence in the season. Even so, the musical dispute is still fierce and could be influenced by the film’s overall performance in the campaign as a whole.

The current scenario puts the Netflix film in the unprecedented position of sharing the spotlight with a strong competitor. K-Pop Warriors still has massive appeal, cultural strength and one of the most popular campaigns of the year, but Zootopia 2 brought unexpected momentum to the race. From now on, each movement of the two productions can redefine the dispute until the winners are announced.

The final list of nominees will be announced on January 22nd and the Oscar ceremony is scheduled for March 15th, 2026. Watch the trailer for the new Zootopia film below: