Laika’s “Missing Link” Earns an Oscar Nomination for Best Animated Feature

The story about a globetrotting Sasquatch may now be the frontrunner following its Golden Globe win.

By Andi Prewitt

Just a week after delivering what was perhaps the biggest upset at this year's Golden Globes, Hillsboro animation studio Laika has been honored with an Oscar nod.

Missing Link, the film about a globetrotting Sasquatch searching for his relatives, was nominated for Best Animated Feature Film. Once seen as an underdog in the 2020 award season, the stop-motion movie is now heading into the Academy Awards as a favorite following its win for Best Animated Feature at the Globes, having beat out competitors with larger budgets and better box office returns, like Frozen 2 and The Lion King.

Unlike the Globes, Disney isn't dominating the field of nominees—only Toy Story 4 is among its projects up for an Oscar. Other competitors include DreamWorks' How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, the French-language film I Lost My Body, and Klaus, a Netflix original.

Despite Laika's solid reputation and characters voiced by big-name celebrities like Hugh Jackman and Zach Galifianakis, Missing Link grossed $5.9 million its opening weekend—the lowest ever for the production company and the 12th worst opening weekend of all-time for a film playing in more than 3,000 theaters, according to the website Comic Book Resources.

All four of Laika's earlier films were up for Best Animated Feature in the past—most recently that was Kubo and the Two Strings, which was also nominated for Best Visual Effects in 2017, but if Missing Link brings home the statute it would be the first Academy Award for the company.

The 92nd Oscars will air on ABC starting at 3:30 pm Sunday, Feb. 9.

Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office. Support WW's journalism today.