Los Angeles - Only three nominees will be in the running for best animated feature film at this year's Academy Awards.
Oscar organisers announced Monday that 15 animated features have been accepted for consideration, one short of the minimum 16 needed to expand the category to five nominees.
Among the films accepted for consideration are Toy Story 3, which was the year's top-grossing movie, along with fellow hits How to Train Your Dragon, Despicable Me, Shrek Forever After and Megamind.
Four films have yet to hit Los Angeles theatres to qualify for this year's Oscars: Tangled,The Illusionist, The Dreams of Jinsha and Summer Wars.
Nominations come out January 25, with the Oscar ceremony following on February 27.