I’ve mentioned this before, but I will keep saying it! I’m old enough to remember when the Oscars used to happen in late March. Things used to be paced out generously – the Golden Globes in mid-to-late January, the SAG Awards in February, then the Oscars in late March. That gave everyone time to “campaign” and, you know, see the actual nominated movies. Everything changed when the Oscars were moved to late February/early March. And they changed again this year, with the Oscars happening earlier than ever, and the entire awards season feeling like a Bong Hive sprint. Well, the 2021 Oscars were supposed to return to the old formula of late-February – they were initially scheduled for Feb. 28th. Now they’re happening in APRIL.
The 2021 Oscars will go on — just not on Feb. 28. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Monday that the 93rd Academy Awards telecast has been postponed by two months to April 25, 2021. Variety was the first to report in mid-May that the Academy was considering delaying the big night in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
“For over a century, movies have played an important role in comforting, inspiring, and entertaining us during the darkest of times. They certainly have this year. 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,” Academy president David Rubin and CEO Dawn Hudson said in a statement. “This coming Oscars and the opening of our new museum will mark an historic moment, gathering movie fans around the world to unite through cinema.”
The Academy also announced that the Governors Awards gala, which takes place in the fall, has been postponed to a later, unspecified date. The December opening of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures was pushed to April to coincide with the Oscars.
This comes after the Academy loosened the rules about streaming and streaming-only premieres and “runs” too. Which is smart, because I really feel like so many 2020 movies are going to be streamed-only, and you know what? Let’s not fight it. Let’s just let it be. We can stream-only during a global pandemic and it’s fine. I’m fine with a 2021 Best Picture Oscar winner being some Netflix or Amazon Prime movie.
Following AMPAS’ decision, the British Academy changed the date for the BAFTAs too. Now the BAFTAs will be held on April 11, 2021, two weeks before the new Oscars’ date. Sources are also saying that the Golden Globes will likely be pushed back to mid-March 2021. Which sounds kind of fine? It will be interesting to go through a January/February without any awards shows. CB and I won’t know what to do with ourselves.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Backgrid and Avalon Red.
Should also note that the eligibility of films has also been pushed back to end of Feb. I mean, it makes sense. With so many films being pushed back or having to stop production, this makes it more fair.
Also they also announced a new inclusivity rule which is interesting (and not mentioned here). They didn’t exactly explain what it means or what the rules are but it sounds like a panel will determine if the film has a certain percentage of diversity.
Thank you for the header pic of Angie’s Leg of Doom!!! I love that pose and remember the reactions of commenters lovin’ and hatin’ on it. Good times.
Understandable. So many films are delayed because of COVID, it’s only fair to give them more time. It’s going to be a strange and stretched out award season next year, but it should be interesting!
Just scrap award shows all together. It’s all a load of bollocks anyway. The fact it’s 2020 & they’re only just thinking about inclusivity just proves they’re nothing but a bunch of out of touch narcissists.
Agree with that! At this point it’s a load of fluff and meaningless. It’s turned into a PR driven, money laundering fake boring narcissistic free fall.
Agree, it’s high time they stop!