news • 17 March 2026
Escapees sweep 2026 Oscars with multiple Academy Award wins
Escape Studios alumni - known as ‘Escapees’ - have dominated the 2026 Oscar Academy Awards with wins across multiple categories, including Best Visual Effects, Best Animated Feature Film and Best Picture.
- Avatar: Fire and Ash, winner of Best Visual Effects Oscar Academy Award, with 10 Escapees credited.
- F1, winner of the Best Sound Oscar Academy Award, with six Escapees credited on the film.
- Sinners, winner of four Oscar Academy Awards: Cinematography, Best Music (Original Score), Writing (Original Screenplay), Actor in a Leading Role, with four Escapees credited on the film.
- KPop Demon Hunters, winner of two Oscar Academy Awards: Best Animated Feature Film and Best Music (Original Song), with one Escapee credited.
- One Battle After Another, winner of six Oscar Academy Awards: Feature Film, Actor in a Supporting Role, Casting, Directing, Editing, Writing (Adapted Screenplay), with one Escapee credited.
Principal of Escape Studios, Professor Ian Palmer, reflects on the win:
“I’m incredibly proud of the talent helping to shape our industry. Year after year, we see our Escapees working on projects that push the boundaries of creativity and technical excellence, proving they play a vital role in producing work at the very highest level.
Their work on award-winning films and their involvement at the forefront of their fields show just how far our community reaches across the global screen industries. Congratulations to our alumni and industry partners on these magnificent achievements!”
Additionally, we’re proud to confirm Escapees have worked on every title nominated for Best Visual Effects, plus many nominated for Best Picture and Best Animated Feature Film at the 2026 Oscars.
Many of this year’s Oscar-nominated films were brought to life by leading visual effects and animation studios, including Industrial Light & Magic, Cinesite, Rise VFX, The Third Floor, Outpost VFX, DNEG and Framestore, all of whom are valued Escape Studios industry partners. They play an active role in shaping our creative community, from the curriculum we teach and how it’s delivered, to our webinars and special events, scholarships and feedback given on our students’ work.
Congratulations to everyone involved, a truly incredible achievement for our Escapees and industry partners.
Feeling inspired? Check out more Escapee success stories. Discover our range of courses to follow in their footsteps.
