The 2021 Oscars might get pushed back after all. As the film industry heads into an uncertain film-festival season—and an even more uncertain awards season—the Academy has reportedly been considering postponing next year’s Oscar ceremony, according to Variety. The telecast is currently scheduled to take place on February 28, 2021, on ABC.
“It’s likely they’ll be postponed,” a source told Variety of the Oscars. However, the source added, there are no details beyond that; potential new dates have not yet been fully discussed or formally proposed. Reps for the Academy have not yet responded to Vanity Fair’s request for comment.
The potential postponement arrives just a few weeks after the Academy announced it was adjusting eligibility requirements for 2021 contenders in the wake of the pandemic. Films are no longer required to play for a week theatrically before they may be nominated, reflecting the industry’s new normal now that theaters across the nation are closed indefinitely. However, films will have to be “made available on the secure Academy Screening Room member-only streaming site within 60 days of the film’s streaming or VOD release,” the organization said in a statement. Should theaters reopen in the coming weeks, the Academy will also loosen its previous restriction requiring films to run in Los Angeles, widening the parameters to include New York City, the San Francisco Bay Area, Chicago, Miami, and Atlanta.
As Hollywood continues grappling with COVID-19’s shake-up of the industry, it’s unclear what the awards season will look like. Major festivals like Toronto and Venice are, as of now, still slated to go on as scheduled this fall, as are key events like the New York Film Festival—signaling that festival organizers and distributors alike are striving to keep awards season on track. But everything could change on a dime if the Academy announces a postponement in the coming days.
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