We have just learned that the Academy Awards has been pushed back for next year to give more films a change to be released as the pandemic has closed the theaters down for a few months. Normally a film had to debut before December 31st of the year prior to the awards show to qualify. Now films will have until February 28, 2021 to debut in theaters and count towards the 2021 awards.
The Academy’s Board of Governors have voted to push back the 2021 awards event from February 28 to April 25, 2021.
Academy President David Rubin and Academy CEO Dawn Hudson offered this joint statement:
“Our hope, in extending the eligibility period and our Awards date, is to provide the flexibility filmmakers need to finish and release their films without being penalized for something beyond anyone’s control.”
Here are the new Oscar submission deadlines and awards calendar:
- General entry categories: January 15, 2021.
- Specialty categories: December 1, 2020.
- Oscar shortlist voting: from February 1 through February 5.
- Nomination voting: March 5 through March 10.
- Nominations announcement: March 15.
- Final voting: April 15 through April 20.
Disney’s ABC is already ready to go with the new change with Karey Burke, President of ABC Entertainment stating:
“We find ourselves in uncharted territory this year and will continue to work with our partners at the Academy to ensure next year’s show is a safe and celebratory event.”
This is the 4th time that the Oscars have been postponed over the course of the event. It was pushed back once in 1938 over flooding in LA. Then again in 1968, it was delayed a couple days due to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Finally it was delayed a day in 1981 when President Ronald Reagan was shot in Washington D.C..
Now in 2021, it is being pushed back eight-weeks due to COVID-19 pandemic shut-downs.
The event already has been struggling with lower viewership as people have other interests and aren’t as invested in watching Hollywood choose, vote and congratulate each other. But the situation could boost viewership due to audience curiosity about the changing dates and dynamics of Hollywood.
What do you think? Comment and let us know!
Featured Image: Wionews
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