A few things are going to change at the Oscars next year. On Monday, June 15, the ‘Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ announced that the annual Oscar ceremony would be moved to a later date in 2021.
Originally, the ceremony would take place on February 27, 2021, now it will be moved to April 25, 2021. The golden figurines will still be handed over in the same Dolby Theater, the show will also be broadcast live.
Note
The deadline for a film to be eligible for next year’s Oscars has also been extended from December 31 to December 28. The Academy confirmed all of these changes on their Twitter page.
It's true! Next year's #Oscars will happen on April 25, 2021.
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— The Academy (@TheAcademy) June 15, 2020
According to The Hollywood Reporter, this is the second time that the term in which films can still qualify for an Oscar extends beyond 12 months. This change is not permanent, so next time it is just January 1 to December 31.
Digital releases & the Coronavirus
In April, the Academy already announced that digital releases of films (which could not be played in the cinema by the Coronavirus) were also eligible for a golden statuette, as long as it was clear that the film had to run in cinemas originally.
The changes that the Academy has made to the original Oscar program are very logical, because of the closed cinemas there were a lot fewer films to be released. Next month, Mulan and Tenet will be the first major blockbusters to hit theaters, hopefully, we’ll see more to follow.
