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Andrew Stanton's Response to Wall-E Oscar Nominations

by Alex Billington
January 22, 2009

As we all know, the nominees for the 81st Academy Awards were announced this morning and there were some big upsets, including an excess of nominations for The Reader and a lack of big nominations for The Dark Knight. But one film that is, for the most part, getting a lot of well-deserved love is Wall-E. The film received a total of 6 nominations, for Best Animated Feature, Original Screenplay, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, Score, and Original Song. The film's writer and director, Andrew Stanton, has written a brief response to the nominations announcement this morning that we have for your reading pleasure below.

"We are ecstatic and grateful for the Academy's generous and humbling recognition of Wall-E. It is an honor and privilege to make films at Pixar, where we have grown into a great, big family. This is a tribute to all of us at Pixar and Disney who do our best to make films, not just animated films, but films for everyone that just happen to be animated."

Although I may be upset that Wall-E didn't get an actual Best Picture nomination, we all knew that was very unlikely. However, it is great to see it receive 6 nominations, because it did have a lot to offer in addition to just being an animated film. I do think it is a big step for the Academy to nominate an animated film for some of these categories, especially screenplay. I know it will win Best Animated Feature for sure, but can it also clench it's 5 remaining categories? Who knows? I know it'll be a very tough battle, up against films like Iron Man and Slumdog Millionaire, but Wall-E has what it takes to win. The winners will be announced on February 22nd!

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19 Comments

Well... it deserved a best picture nomination... I might be one of the few thinking that, but it would be great to get it on that list. Not gonna happen though.

Rickmeister on Jan 22, 2009

I'm dissapointed in the Academy. If they haddn't created the Best Animated Picture goulag a few years ago, Wall-E would have been a lock for a Best Picture nomination to be sure!. If the Academy once saw fit to nominated Beauty and the Beast, they should have nominated Wall-E as well.

Tom Brazelton on Jan 22, 2009

I wish I knew if I was responding to a regular or not but... #3- The Academy primarily did the category to recognize animated films during years where they might not match up to the five best picture nominees because of the 1994 Lion King debate. It might be tough for some (certainly not myself) to place The Lion King with some of the best work from guys like Robert Zemeckis, Quentin Tarantino, Frank Darabont, Robert Redford, and Mike Newell.

BahHumbug on Jan 22, 2009

I don't mind an animated film getting nominated (as did The Beauty and the Beast) , but I just don't think Wall-E deserves it. It's absolutely stunning to look at, but I wouldn't put it in my top 10 of best of 2008.

Angelo on Jan 22, 2009

Stanton is obviously happy about the nominations, however you can tell in his statement when he says "humbling" that they really thought they deserved the best pic nomination. As do I.

troy on Jan 22, 2009

GTF outa town no Dark Knight lol, i guess the billions it sold was because it was a crap movie, or maybe theres too many old geezers runnin this crap , sorry i'll be watchin family guy instead of this 81 years of critic garbage........ oh ya wall-e is for sissies unless ur a 7 year old. at least the golden globes has its head in the right direction ...

Badkarma on Jan 22, 2009

Personally, I think Wall-E didn't deserve a best picture nom anyways. Wall-E was way over-hyped in my opinion. Definitely best animated picture though, even though i had a blast at Kung-Fu Panda

Silver on Jan 22, 2009

and Dark knight wasn't over-hyped?

wm on Jan 22, 2009

what i want to know is, why no Bruce Spingsteen nomination for original song?

dr.spaceman on Jan 22, 2009

Again, the first half of the film was pretty good, and then it just fell apart with the awful message. I think it has way to many nods. And I agree with you Spaceman. The Boss is snubbed.

D-9 on Jan 22, 2009

Hopefully I'll get a response (because I never do)... #7- How is Wall-E for sissies? Alex, if you had the time to answer my questions above, I'd really appreciate it.

BahHumbug on Jan 22, 2009

Wowie! I think the movie deserves all 6! But from what I heard of "Iron Man" and such, I dought it'll get all 6(duh, it be a miracle though!).

Catz2 on Jan 22, 2009

It will fall short in its bid for best original screenplay to Milk, my second favorite movie of the year behind the aforementioned Wall-E. It does have a very good shot and original song and both sound categories and original score would be an upset but far from a shocker. I wish it well but even if it only gets 4 Oscars that would be a great testament to its brilliance.

Johnbo on Jan 23, 2009

Big downer for me. I didn't expect it, but I was hopeful. Out of all the films I saw last year (including The Dark Knight), WALL-E was by far my favorite. It really deserved a Best Picture nomination at least. Excellent film. btw D-9, celebrating love is a bad message? How so?

Chip on Jan 23, 2009

I judge a film if I return to the theatre a number of times, and purchase the DVD the minute it comes out on a Tuesday and view at least once that evening. I did none of these with this piece. Agree the first half was entertaining, then just got boring with some kind of message I still do not understand what in the Hell the writers were trying to say. Much over-rated.

triangleofhorror on Jan 23, 2009

wall-E's message had NOTHING to do with love? WTF, it was about waste and lazy humans evolving into piences of shit. Love. Jesus christ!!!!!

chippy on Jan 24, 2009

There was Love? You mean wall-e and eve? That is not the message I am talking about. My God Chipster, watch it again. Just an awful ending and message.

D-9 on Jan 24, 2009

LOVE??!! LOL, now that is funny. Didn't get that message at the end. Worthless human carnage, and video will turn us all into mush is more like it. Just hated that. Get a clue chippy!

Tim "Cloverfield" on Jan 25, 2009

Sorry chippy....I meant Chip. You are correct chippy.

Tim "Cloverfield" on Jan 25, 2009

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