Film ties The Lion King for most nominations

The Visual Effects Society announced the nominees for the 18th annual VES Awards on Tuesday. The live-action Alita: Battle Angel film received nominations in five categories: Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature, Outstanding Animated Character in a Photoreal Feature (for the character Alita), Outstanding Created Environment in a Photoreal Feature (for Iron City), Outstanding Virtual Cinematography in a CG Project, and Outstanding Compositing in a Photoreal Feature. The film tied with The Lion King to receive the most nominations for a feature film.

Additionally, PlayStation's "Feel The Power of Pro" commercial was nominated in the Outstanding Visual Effects in a Commercial and Outstanding Compositing in a Photoreal Commercial categories.

The VES Awards honor "the most outstanding visual effects work of the year." This year's awards ceremony will be held at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California on January 29.

The live-action Alita: Battle Angel film is also on the shortlist in the Visual Effects category for this year's Academy Awards. The 92nd annual Academy Awards will be held on February 9, 2020.

20th Century Fox opened the Alita: Battle Angel film in the U.K. on February 6, 2019 and in several countries in Asia before its U.S. debut on February 14. The film then opened in Japan on February 22 and ranked at #2 at the box office. Disney concluded its acquisition of 21st Century Fox and the 20th Century Fox film studio shortly after that in March.

The film has earned more than US$400 million worldwide.

The movie stars Rosa Salazar ( Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials, The Divergent Series: Insurgent, Man Seeking Woman ) in motion capture as Alita. Robert Rodriguez ( El Mariachi, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Sin City, Spy Kids ) directed the film. James Cameron and his Lightstorm Entertainment partner Jon Landau produced the project, and Shutter Island's Laeta Kalogridis co-wrote the script with Cameron.

Thanks to Daniel Zelter for the news tip.

Sources: Visual Effects Society, The Hollywood Reporter (Carolyn Giardina) via Comic Book