James Wan says it's "a fucking disgrace" Aquaman wasn't shortlisted for a visual effects Oscar
The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has unveiled the 10 semi-finalists that will compete for the Best Visual Effects Oscar at the 2019 Academy Awards. This year’s shortlist includes the usual assortment of big-budget blockbusters, like Avengers: Infinity War, Ant-Man And the Wasp, and (checks notes), uh, Ready Player One. Absent from the list is Warner Bros.’ hair metal guitar-wail of a superhero flick, Aquaman. While most people didn’t seem to notice the film’s exclusion from the shortlist, director James Wan most certainly did. And he is displeased.
The Wrap has a screen-grab of a comment Wan left on the Facebook page of Aquaman visual effects supervisor Kelvin McIlwain, in which the filmmaker praised McIlwain and his department as “the unsung heroes of this film.” Wan, clearly dressed in his finest sassy-pants, went on to say, “The fact that your VFX peers in the Academy aren’t recognizing or appreciating what we/you’ve all contributed to the film and cinema is a fucking disgrace.” McIlwain replied, “I’m with you James. It was a complete shock to everyone that we are not in the final 10 films that will be presenting at the Academy VFX Bake-off.”
It is somewhat surprising that Aquaman wasn’t shortlisted alongside pretty much every other superhero movie (and one Steven Spielberg eyesore) released in 2018. But the category is Best Visual Effects, not “Most Visual Effects,” so maybe next time, super sea bro.