The show will still go on next year for cinema’s biggest night – but two months later than normal.
The 93rd Academy Awards broadcast will be pushed back from Feb. 28, 2021, to April 25, 2021, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Monday. The delay – only the fourth time the awards have been postponed – comes as the coronavirus pandemic plays havoc with the film industry.
The Academy also extended the eligibility period for feature films’ release dates. According to the new timeline, films released through Feb. 28, 2021, will be in the running to qualify for next year’s Oscars. The nominations will be announced March 15, 2021. Final voting will take place between April 15-20, 2021.
The format for the 2021 Oscars broadcast is still up in the air. The Academy did not indicate whether the ceremony would be held virtually or in-person.
Since March, the coronavirus has shut down movie theaters, forced studios to postpone release dates, interrupted film production and canceled film festivals. Due to the unprecedented circumstances, the Academy decided in April to allow films that did not play in theaters to qualify for next year’s Oscars. The direct-to-streaming films must have had a planned theatrical release in order to be considered.
The virus is still rearranging the movie calendar as restrictions lift and cinemas reopen. Last week, Warner Bros. pushed back Christopher Nolan’s anticipated sci-fi film “Tenet” two weeks to July 31. The move positions Disney’s live-action remake “Mulan,” set to be released July 24, as the first major studio film to hit screens after the movie theater shutdown.
Rebecca Kivak and Joe Baress write about movies for Take 2 blog. Together, they review current flicks and offer their insights into the latest movie news. Rebecca is a copy editor and page designer at The Times-Tribune. She started her career with Times-Shamrock Newspapers in 2005 and has won several professional journalism awards for page design and headline writing. She also covers NASCAR races from Pocono Raceway. Contact: rkivak@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5126; @TTRebeccaKivak
