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Oscars Delayed by 2 Months Due to COVID-19

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on June 15 that it has delayed the 93rd Academy Awards by two months due to new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The Academy and ABC Television Network have decided that the ceremony will be broadcast on April 25, 2021. The Academy also announced that it is shifting some dates for the awards' eligibility period. The deadline for Animated Feature Film is December 1. The Academy will announce the nominees on March 15, 2021.

The Academy has yet to set a new date for its Scientific and Technical Awards presentation. The presentation was initially planned for June 20.

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences announced on June 8 that the Best Picture category will be set at 10 nominees from the 94th Academy Awards (with the ceremony taking place in 2022) onward.

The new rules for Best Picture are part of what the Academy revealed as the "next phase" of its equity and inclusion initiative. Other parts of the next phase include "[encouraging] equitable hiring practices and representation on and off screen" and creating a task force to develop and implement new representation and inclusion standards for Oscars eligibility.

Both the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced temporary changes to the eligibility requirements for their respective Academy Awards and Golden Globe Awards on April 29, in light of COVID-19.

Sources: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Variety (Marc Malkin)