New Oscars Best Picture Rules Limit Indies and Streaming Releases
The Academy has placed new requirements on which movies are allowed to be nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars.
Until now, it was required that in order for a movie to qualify for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, it must have a one-week theatrical release in one of the six qualifying U.S. cities (Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York City, Chicago, Miami, and Atlanta).
Now, for a movie to qualify for Best Picture, they must have an “expanded theatrical run of seven days, consecutive or non-consecutive, in 10 of the top 50 U.S. markets, no later than 45 days after the initial release.” The Academy also announced that “for late-in-the-year films with expansions after January 10, distributors must submit release plans to the Academy for verification.” Their expanded theatrical run must be finished no later than January 24. Non-U.S. territory releases can count towards two of the 10 markets.
This new rule targets independent films and streaming releases. For example, last year, Netflix released Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery in theaters for a week, which would no longer be enough time to qualify it for Best Picture. Netflix would need to expand their theaters to more cities if they want their movies to qualify for Best Picture.
This would also affect films like the Best Actress-nominated To Leslie, which only played in six theaters in 2022.
The Oscars 2024 date is March 10, 2024.
Source: ComingSoon.net
