This year, awards show season was a time of uncertainty. Would events be held? What shows were eligible? Was it safe? But in 2021, The Academy is planning on an Oscars ceremony to remember complete with a live and possibly in-person event.
This year we have seen awards shows take on every possible form. From standard live events and red carpets to streams scattered across multiple venues, hybrid shows with live and pre-recorded content, and our favorite creators performing in empty rooms. As we move toward 2021, The Academy wants to make sure The Oscars is as spectacular as possible.
With theaters closed for a large portion of the year, a couple of changes have been made to the qualifications for awards. Movies that premiered on streaming platforms qualify for awards categories, and two additional months have been added to the viewing time to give more films a chance to qualify. Instead of the usual December 31 deadline, films will have until February 28, 2021 to be submitted.
As for the event itself, The Academy is already working out ways to make the Dolby Theatre in LA the safest option for the Academy Awards, though no firm decisions have been made about the event. Oscar Sunday is confirmed for April 25, 2021. Time to start planning Zoom watch parties!