The Oscars have a new date amid the coronavirus pandemic. Hollywood's biggest awards night is being pushed back to April. Reportedly, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has delayed the 2021 Oscars by two months. The ceremony will now take place on April 25
There will apprently be further changes in the the run-up to the broadcast. There will reportedly be an extended release date eligibility window through Feb. 28 and the official nominations announcement moving to March 15.
The 93rd iteration of the Oscars was initially supposed to be held on February 28th. The Academy had announced modified eligibility requirements in light of the pandemic. Since many movies couldn't have a traditional theatrical roll-out which was a previous condition for eligibility.
After the pandemic caused movie theatres to close, the Academy decided to temporarily do away with a rule that stipulated that a contending title must finish an Oscar-qualifying theatrical run of at least seven consecutive days (with three showings daily).
The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences is going further and allowing films that were forced to premiere on streaming services or VOD as a result of COVID-19-related closures. Though many studios and movies have decided to postpone their theatrical releases for next year. It seems like this year's Best Picture category might be slim on nominees.
However, awards shows like the Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild Awards still seem to be on track. You can check out the announcement here:
It's true! Next year's #Oscars will happen on April 25, 2021.
— The Academy (@TheAcademy) June 15, 2020
Here's what else you need to know:
- The eligibility period for the Oscars will be extended to February 28, 2021
- Nominations will be announced on March 15, 2021
- @AcademyMuseum will open on April 30, 2021 pic.twitter.com/cTsqOfsf8k
