The Hobbit is already in the running for an Oscar despite being weeks out from its official cinema release.
Nominations for the visual effects Oscar have just been whittled down to a shortlist of 10 finalists by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences.
It includes The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey along with other big budget blockbusters such as The Dark Knight Rises, The Avengers and Skyfall.
Academy members will be shown 10-minute excerpts from each of shortlisted films before announcing five final Oscar nominees on January 10.
The Oscars will be held on February 24.
The 10 visual effects Oscar nominees:
The Amazing Spider-Man
Cloud Atlas
The Dark Knight Rises
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
John Carter
Life of Pi
The Avengers
Prometheus
Skyfall
Snow White and the Huntsman