The updated rules come after the Academy in April announced that movies that had “previously planned theatrical releases” can qualify for Oscars without the typical Los Angeles qualifying run, but the film “must be made available on the secure Academy Screening Room member-only streaming site within 60 days of the film’s streaming or VOD release.”
Here’s the official word, as posted on the Academy’s website: The rule change comes as theaters have been allowed to reopen in many areas across the US. However, indoor theaters remain closed in New York City and Los Angeles, where many Academy voters live. And Regal Cinemas announced this week that it planned to temporarily shutter its 536 locations in the US, signaling that with few movies to show, movie theaters are far from out of the woods during the pandemic.
