Voting Eligibility Update at Oscars: A Mandate to Watch Each Contender Before Casting Ballots
Spillin' the Beans on the Oscar Chaos!
Listen up, movie buffs! The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has Cooked up some new rules for the Oscars. Starting with the 98th Academy Awards in 2026, you'll have to prove you've seen all the nominees in the category you vote for!
This change echoes the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards (BAFTAs) rules, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter (THR). In other words, the Academy is cracking down on those who might've been casting votes based on tittle-tattle or guesswork.
Remember when they allowed votes to flow through an honor system? Not anymore! Members voting for certain categories will now have to provide "anecdotal evidence" before racing their votes on the Academy's e-ballot system.
How does the Academy keep tabs on you? By tracking your usage of their screening app or having you fill out a form verifying what you've seen when you attend an awards screening or film festival.
But that's not all! The Academy also plans to list the composer next to the name of each Best Original Song nomination. If you're familiar with the long-time loser Diane Warren, you'll appreciate this change as it might've snagged her a win (or two) in the past!
Speaking of changes, the Academy is also making room for filmmakers with refugee or asylum status in the Best International Feature Film category. Instead of requiring residence, they can now submit their film from the country they fled from.
Now, the Academy has also addressed the controversy over AI being used in certain productions, like The Brutalist and Emilia Pérez, which picked up several Oscar nominations last awards season. The Academy's Science and Technology Council has clarified that AI neither helps nor harms a film's chances of getting an award.
In summary, the Academy is tightening up the rules for the 2026 Oscars. On one hand, it will make for more informed voting. On the other hand, it could lead to some voters feeling overwhelmed by the new requirements. We'll just have to wait and see how it pans out!
[1] Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) - https://www.oscars.org/[2] British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTAs) - https://www.bafta.org/[3] The Hollywood Reporter - https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/[4] Forbes - https://www.forbes.com/[Enrichment Data:]
Overall:
The new Oscar rules from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for the 98th Academy Awards in 2026, include the following changes:
- Mandatory Viewing of Nominated Films: Academy members must view all nominated films in each category before they can vote.
- Verification Process: The Academy is unclear on how they will verify that voters have watched the nominated films they vote for.
- Impact on Voting Dynamics: These changes could lead to more informed voting and potentially more surprise wins as voters must be familiar with all nominees in a category to participate.
In addition, notable changes include:
- Previous Policy: The Academy previously had nomination viewing requirements mainly for Documentary and Short Film categories. Now, viewing requirements apply across all categories.
- Listing Composers: The Academy will list composers next to the name of Best Original Song nominations.
- Refugee or Asylum Status: Film producers with refugee or asylum status can submit their film for the Best International Feature Film category from the country they fled from.
- AI Controversies: The Academy's Science and Technology Council addressed the controversy surrounding AI being used in certain productions, stating AI neither helps nor harms a film's chances of receiving an award.
- The 98th Oscars, scheduled for 2026, will require viewers to validate that they have seen all the nominees in the categories they vote for, following rules set by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTAs).
- The Academy Awards rule changes imply that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) is seeking to prevent voting based on anecdotal evidence or guesswork, as reported by Thr.
- The 2026 Oscars could have more informed voting due to these rule changes, although some voters might feel overwhelmed by the new requirements.
- The Academy is also planning to list the composer next to each Best Original Song nomination, which could potentially give long-time loser Diane Warren a better chance at winning an Oscar.
