Kenneth Branagh's semi-autobiographical drama Belfast has been shortlisted for an Academy Award in the Best Original Song category, as well as Sing 2.

Van Morrison's track 'Down to Joy' can be heard playing over the opening credits of the film, which stars Jamie Dornan, Caitriona Balfe, Judi Dench, Ciarán Hinds and newcomer Jude Hill. Described as a "personal and joyful story", Belfast is set in late 1960s Northern Ireland.

The film will be released in cinemas this January, and shines a light on the Troubles of that era.

U2's track 'Your Song Saved My Life' from Sing 2 was also included on the shortlist. It's the first new single from U2 since 2019, when they released their collaboration with A.R. Rahman, 'Ahimsa'.

U2 have contributed to several movie soundtracks over the years – and have been nominated twice in the Best Original Song category at the Academy Awards for ‘The Hands That Built America’ (Gangs of New York, 2003) and ‘Ordinary Love’ (Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom, 2014).

The shortlists were announced for ten categories with Academy members now set to view the pieces of work before voting on which ones should receive nominations. The categories covered include Documentary Feature; International Film; Animated, Live Action, and Documentary Shorts; Makeup and Hairstyling; Music Score; Original Song; Sound; and Visual Effects.

Van Morrison still in the race for an Oscar. We might yet see the Robin Swann speech in the Dolby. (Incidentally, I can hum precisely two of these tunes and neither is Down to Joy.) pic.twitter.com/9zmh4bLIId

— 🥃Donald Clarke🎥 (@DonaldClarke63) December 21, 2021

No Time To Die and Dune lead the field in the first round of films mentioned, with each shortlisted in four categories

Daniel Craig's final outing as James Bond was shortlisted for make-up and styling, music (original song), sound and visual effects.

Denis Villeneuve's sci-fi epic, starring Timothee Chalamet, Oscar Isaac and Zendaya, was shortlisted for make-up and styling, music (original score), sound, and visual effects.

Spider-Man: No Way Home, starring Tom Holland and Zendaya, also picked up two shortlist nominations for sound and visual effects. The web-slinging third outing for Holland in the spidey suit smashed box-office records in its December opening weekend, only landing behind Avengers: Endgame.

Three more Marvel films were nominated for visual effects; Black Widow, Eternals and Shang Chi: Legend Of The Ten Rings.

Netlfix's The Power Of The Dog - starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons - was shortlisted for music (original score) and sound.

Singer Billie Eilish also picked up two shortlist nominations for her documentary The World's A Little Blurry and Bond theme tune 'No Time To Die', having written and performed the song with her brother Finneas O'Connell.

Final nominations will be announced February 8th, with the official Oscars ceremony scheduled to take place on March 27th in Los Angeles.