Oscars. Golden Globes Temporarily Change Eligibility Rules Due to COVID-19

The current pandemic has rocked the world of entertainment, and film has been far from immune.

Since most movie theaters in the United States have been closed since around mid-March, the typical Academy Awards rules of consideration spawned comments about how the field of nominated films might see blockbusters like The Invisible Man, Birds of Prey, and Bad Boys For Life all jockeying for Best Picture honors of 2020. Once theaters re-open, the seven-day window rule will be reinstated, though films that have already streamed will not have to be re-released into theaters, and the Academy expanding the number of qualifying theaters beyond LA County to New York City, the Bay Area, Chicago, Miami and Atlanta.

Some films, including Universal Pictures CMSCA.O animated Trolls World Tour, have been released directly to streaming platforms or video on demand. Specifically, however, that's for films that were always intending to hit cinemas, but that had to be moved because of the closures. The 93rd Academy Awards will not only allow digital-only movies to be eligible for nomination for the first time, two categories are going to be streamlined into one. "Nonetheless, the historically tragic COVID-19 pandemic necessitates this temporary exception to our awards eligibility rules", President David Rubin and Chief Executive Dawn Hudson said, referring to the disease caused by the virus. "We recognize the importance of their work being seen and also celebrated, especially now, when audiences appreciate movies more than ever". That reduces the category count to 23, but we'd bet the show will still run long.

The Oscars, the highest awards in the movie industry, are still scheduled to take place in Hollywood on February 28, 2021.