The Academy has announced 21 films submitted for consideration for the Animated Feature category at this year’s Oscars. Although all of these haven’t released, 6 or more of them would have to be no-shows to drop the maximum number of nominations below 5, so expect 5 with Brave, ParaNorman, The Pirates!, Rise of the Guardians and Wreck-It Ralph the most visible nominees with at least two of them possibly falling to lesser known or seen works. Here’s the full press release:

21 Animated Features Submitted For 2012 Oscar® Race

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – Twenty-one features have been submitted for consideration in the Animated Feature Film category for the 85th Academy Awards®.

The 21 submitted features, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:

• Adventures in Zambezia
• Brave
• Delhi Safari
• Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax
• Frankenweenie
• From Up on Poppy Hill
• Hey Krishna
• Hotel Transylvania
• Ice Age Continental Drift
• A Liar’s Autobiography: The Untrue Story of Monty Python’s Graham Chapman
• Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted
• The Mystical Laws
• The Painting
• ParaNorman
• The Pirates! Band of Misfits
• The Rabbi’s Cat
• Rise of the Guardians
• Secret of the Wings
• Walter & Tandoori’s Christmas
• Wreck-It Ralph
• Zarafa”

Several of the films listed have not yet had their required Los Angeles qualifying runs. Submitted features must fulfill the theatrical release requirements and comply with all of the category’s other qualifying rules before they can advance in the voting process. At least eight eligible animated features must be theatrically released in Los Angeles County within the calendar year for this category to be activated.

Films submitted in the Animated Feature Film category may also qualify for Academy Awards in other categories, including Best Picture, provided they meet the requirements for those categories.

The 85th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Thursday, January 10, 2013, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Sunday, February 24, 2013, at the Dolby Theatre™ at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.