Between the three Marvel Cinematic Universe movies Disney released in theaters in 2018, it’s easy to slot each of them into a set of pretty simply defined critical roles. Black Panther is the big prestige picture, helmed by an up-and-coming directing star, tackling complicated emotional and political themes, and receiving the brunt of the company’s first big push for high-brow acceptance. Ant-Man And The Wasp is the palate cleanser, a lighthearted trifle for people sick of all the character deaths and space opera shenanigans. And Avengers: Infinity War is the massive studio blockbuster, clocking in at No. 4 on the list of highest-grossing movies of all time, and giving summer moviegoers exactly what they wanted: So many superheroes that the movie practically chokes on them.
But are these films doomed to live within these narrowly defined lanes? After all, Black Panther is a pretty kick-ass spy movie, too, and Ant-Man has its poignant moments. Doesn’t Infinity War deserve a little Oscars love, too?
Disney seems to think so; IGN reports that the company recently updated its For Your Consideration site for the Russo Brothers-directed smash hit, adding a whole heap of attempted awards (including Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Cinematography) to the Best Visual Effects Oscar it was already gunning for. That doesn’t mean Marvel Studios has taken its eye off the prize—Black Panther is still the company’s obvious choice for the big awards, submitting it for 16 different categories, including Best Picture—but it does suggest it didn’t feel so good about the way its flagship franchise was being left out in the cold.
