"Paprika" Withdrawn from Oscar Race

From The Envelope:

The decision by Sony Pictures Classics to bump the release of "Paprika" to next March drastically alters the Oscar contest for best animated feature. Now the list of eligible films shrinks to 15, down from the magic number of 16 that allowed for 5 nominees. With only 15 titles in the derby, only three contenders are permitted in the category.

That really changes things. Not that Paprika was going to be nominated. But since it narrows the final category to only three nominees, the category looks slightly different. My guess is that the final three nominees will be Cars, Happy Feet, and Flushed Away. Although Monster House could sneak in.