'Dark Knight,' 'Iron Man' battle for effects Oscar

LOS ANGELES — Superheroes Batman, Iron Man and Hellboy are mixing it up with Brad Pitt, Nicole Kidman and an ancient mummy for the visual-effects Academy Award.

The Batman blockbuster "The Dark Knight" is one of seven films competing for the Oscar, along with fellow comic-book adaptations "Iron Man" and "Hellboy II: The Golden Army."

The other four nominees Tuesday: Kidman's "Australia," Pitt's "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" and two Brendan Fraser action films, "Journey to the Center of the Earth" and "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor."

Members of the academy's visual-effects branch will view 15-minute excerpts from each film and choose three nominees for the Feb. 22 Oscars.

The Oscar nominations come out Jan. 22. - AP