The theatrical requirements for movies vying for the Oscars top prize are getting a little tougher.

Starting with the 97th in 2025, best picture hopefuls will have to spend more time in theaters to qualify for filmB次元官网网址檚 top prize. The changes, announced by the of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences this week, come after three years of .

On top of the current one week B次元官网网址渜ualifying runB次元官网网址� in one of six U.S cities B次元官网网址� New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, San Francisco or Miami B次元官网网址� best picture contenders would now must also now play for an additional seven days in 10 of the top 50 U.S. markets. Additionally, thereB次元官网网址檚 several other new rules about when the movies must play in theaters.

B次元官网网址淚t is our hope that this expanded theatrical footprint will increase the visibility of films worldwide and encourage audiences to experience our art form in a theatrical setting,B次元官网网址� Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang said in a statement.

ItB次元官网网址檚 part gesture to theaters still struggling from the pandemic, partly for audiences in markets outside of New York and Los Angeles who donB次元官网网址檛 always get theatrical access to best picture contenders, and partly a statement to deep pocketed streaming services that theaters remain paramount for HollywoodB次元官网网址檚 top prize.

The film academyB次元官网网址檚 leaders also say the decision was born out of many conversations with industry partners and that they feel that this B次元官网网址渆volution benefits film artists and movie lovers alike.B次元官网网址�

But some in the industry questioned what it really changes, who it benefits and who it might hurt.

Michael OB次元官网网址橪eary, the President and CEO of the National Association of Theater Owners, applauded the B次元官网网址渋mportant initiative.B次元官网网址� In a statement, OB次元官网网址橪eary said it B次元官网网址渁ffirms that theatrical exhibition is the keystone of the industry.B次元官网网址�

For traditional studios, from the big ones like Warner Bros., Universal and Disney, to the smaller players, like A24 and Neon, behind recent best picture winners B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淧arasite,B次元官网网址� it likely affects very little.

For streaming services, it could be a case-by-case adjustment depending on the company but not a hurdle. Amazon is already planning to release every year, as theyB次元官网网址檝e already done with Ben AffleckB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淎ir.B次元官网网址� on movies that will land in cinemas before streaming, including Ridley ScottB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淣apoleon.B次元官网网址�

Netflix has had a bigger theatrical footprint lately too. Not only do they control two U.S. theaters B次元官网网址� New YorkB次元官网网址檚 Paris Theater and Los AngelesB次元官网网址� American Cinematheque B次元官网网址� but theyB次元官网网址檝e also historically given theatrical runs to their awards hopefuls. All of NetflixB次元官网网址檚 nominees since have met the requirement. Its , B次元官网网址淎ll Quiet on the Western Front,B次元官网网址� played in hundreds of theaters.

The new rule may weed out the possibility of a grassroots campaign on behalf of a very small film, however. Independent theaters and those willing to play independent films have become rarer and the competition is fierce for those screens in the major markets. Some of the bigger indie stalwarts are even scheduling major studio films, leaving fewer times and screens available for true independents.

Much like the diversity requirements that went into effect this year, few could think of recent best picture players that wouldnB次元官网网址檛 have met this threshold. AppleB次元官网网址檚 best picture winner B次元官网网址淐ODAB次元官网网址� played in about 40 theaters. Even non-traditional Oscar B次元官网网址渦nderdogsB次元官网网址� like B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� had substantial theatrical runs.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 important to consider that qualifying is merely a first step in a long process that involves robust and costly campaigning,B次元官网网址� said Dan Berger, the president of the independent film company Oscilloscope. B次元官网网址淚 think itB次元官网网址檚 fair to say that nearly any film that doesnB次元官网网址檛 meet these parameters never stood a chance in a best picture race anyway.B次元官网网址�

Berger added: B次元官网网址淗opefully the result of this isnB次元官网网址檛 more robust and more costly campaigning that only serves to further divide merit based results from campaign based results.B次元官网网址�

There are a lot of unknowns about the specifics of the expansion, including whether there will be minimum of showtimes and screens. Could companies simply rent out eight screens that will play to minimal or no crowds in densely populated areas that are relatively cheap and that are also not historically great for indie films? ItB次元官网网址檒l check the box, but will it help theaters, the films or audiences? And will it lead to an even greater year-end bottleneck of releases?

Questions also remain about how it will affect the eligibility of animated films and documentaries, which wouldnB次元官网网址檛 have to meet these requirements to qualify in their individual categories but now might have to adopt a different strategy to be in contention for best picture.

Others are more hopeful and know that the academyB次元官网网址檚 board of governors meet often to as the landscape continues to change.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 about time that the academy made a move to recommit to theatrical. The Oscars were inching closer and closer to becoming the Emmys,B次元官网网址� said one top awards strategist and academy member who requested anonymity to speak candidly about the changes. B次元官网网址淐ould they have gone further? Of course. But itB次元官网网址檚 a good faith step in the right direction.B次元官网网址�

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