Oscars’ Theatrical Release Rules Expanded to Boost Movie Industry

The Oscars, the most prestigious and highly anticipated global award for excellence in cinema, have taken a significant step to boost the movie industry by expanding the theatrical release requirements for films aspiring to be nominated for Best Picture. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences have introduced new rules that every film released in 2024 should meet the expanded theatrical-release standards for consideration for the Oscars’ top prize.

Background

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the movie industry, forcing most theaters to close their doors and film festivals to cancel. It led to streaming services becoming the primary source of new movie releases, with many of them foregoing their theatrical runs. As a result, the Oscars allowed movies to qualify without being released in theaters; however, that policy is changing as the world begins to open up again.

New Best Picture Rules for the Oscars

The new rules for films aiming to qualify for Best Picture nominations in the Oscars are as follows:

• For qualification, movies should have played for seven consecutive days in a theater located in at least one of the following six major metropolitan areas in the US: Los Angeles, the Bay Area, New York City, Miami, Atlanta, or Chicago.
• The new rule extends the qualifying run of movies from seven days to a week-long run in ten of the top fifty US marketplaces, occurring no later than 45 days after the initial release in 2024.
• Distributors of movies released late in 2024 that are expanded following January 10, 2025, are required to submit their release plans to the Academy for verification.
• The expanded theatrical run of such movies must conclude no later than January 24, 2025.
• The top 15 theatrical markets internationally can count towards two of the ten markets required for the week-long release requirement.
• The qualifying non-US markets comprise the foremost 15 foreign theatrical markets worldwide in addition to the movie’s home territory.

The Aspect Affected

The new rules only apply to the best picture category and are part of an effort to support expanded theatrical releases for films as the movie industry continues to recover from the pandemic.

Benefits of the New Rule

Despite the significant impact of the pandemic on the movie industry, the Oscars’ new rules to expand the theatrical release standards for films have some benefits, including:

• Provides a fillip to revenue streams in the movie business, drawing crowds back to theaters and therefore making the overall experience more engaging and interactive.
• Encourages the growth of the movie industry, especially in the wake of the pandemic, which saw a shift towards streaming and on-demand entertainment.
• Enhances the prestige of the Oscars, providing a more effective way of elevating the best films and making the nominations more representative of the audience’s preferences.
• Creates a more active and engaging movie industry, with more competition, collaboration and better quality entertainment.

Conclusion

In summary, the Oscars have announced new rules that every film aspiring for a Best Picture nomination should meet extended theatrical-release standards. Only films playing in theaters in major metropolitan areas in the US for one week on a date no later than 45 days after the initial release in 2024 will qualify and can play in at least ten of the top 50 US markets for at least seven days. This move helps the movie industry recover from the pandemic and encourages more people back to the theater while making the Oscars a more credible award show that reflects the audience’s preferences.

Five Unique FAQ’s

Q: How do the new rules impact the film industry?
A: The new rules help the film industry recover from the pandemic and encourage more people back to the theater, filling revenue streams, making the overall experience more engaging and interactive, and enhancing the prestige of the Oscars.

Q: Why were the new rules introduced?
A: The new rules were introduced to encourage the growth of the movie industry, especially in the wake of the pandemic, which saw a shift towards streaming and on-demand entertainment.

Q: Do these rules apply to all Oscars categories?
A: No, the new rules apply only to the best picture category.

Q: What qualifies as a Major Metropolitan area under the new rules?
A: Los Angeles, the Bay Area, New York City, Miami, Atlanta, and Chicago are the six major metropolitan areas in the US under the new rules.

Q: What’s the impact of the new rules on the Oscars?
A: The new rules are expected to create a more active and engaging movie industry, with more competition, collaboration, and better quality entertainment while making the Oscars a more credible award show that reflects the audience’s preferences.