Ten blockbuster movies including this year's top-grossing hit "Guardians of the Galaxy" are in the running for the video special effects Oscar, organizers said Friday.
The 10, which will be whittled down to five nominees next month, also include "Captain America: The Winter Soldier," "Interstellar" and "Maleficent."
The Oscar-organizing Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science's Visual Effects Branch executive committee chose the shortlist.
Ten-minute excerpts of each will be shown to branch members on January 10, to narrow the list down to the formal nominees, which will be announced January 15 along with all other Oscar categories.
The 87th Academy Awards, the climax of Hollywood's annual awards season, will be held on February 22, 2015.
The full list of 10 video effects contenders is as follows, in alphabetical order:
"Captain America: The Winter Soldier"
"Dawn of the Planet of the Apes"
"Godzilla"
"Guardians of the Galaxy"
"The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies"
"Interstellar"
"Maleficent"
"Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb"
"Transformers: Age of Extinction"
"X-Men: Days of Future Past"
"Guardians of the Galaxy" is this year's top-grossing film at the US box office, earning some $332 million, according to Box Office Mojo. "Captain America" is in second spot with $260 million, followed by "The Lego Movie" with $258 million.