Update: 2021 Oscars officially postponed to April 25 amidst other changes

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Update:

After a series of meetings and much speculation, word has reached the masses that the 93rd Academy Awards, originally scheduled for February 28, 2021 will now take place on April 25th, the latest date in Oscar history for the annual Hollywood gala to air.

The change was announced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences this morning, who also stated that the opening of the Academy’s new Museum of Motion Pictures will also be moved from December 14, 2020 to April 30, 2021. Furthermore, the Gala opening will commence on Saturday, April 17, just one week shy of Oscar Sunday.

As per the new date for the 93rd Academy Awards, films that have a qualifying release date between January 1, 2020 and February 28, 2021 are now eligible to compete in the next Academy Awards. Additionally, opportunities to submit materials a number of categories have also been extended due to recent changes made to the show.

According to sources within the AMPAS, the organization is working closely with LA Department of Public Health , and Dr. Atul Nakhasi among others, to move the show as far as possible in an effort to distance the event from the ongoing pandemic. According to one source who's close to the matter, “It doesn’t serve to just push a couple of weeks…a couple of weeks doesn’t help with the uncertainty.  A couple of months is more meaningful on everything from eligibility to actually planning the event and what that may look like. ” Naturally, ABC, the Academy’s broadcast partner, is on board in terms of taking steps to insure the maximum level of safety for guests of the high-profile gathering. “We find ourselves in uncharted territory this year and will continue to work with our partners at the Academy to ensure next year’s show is a safe and celebratory event that also captures the excitement of the opening of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures,” said Karey Burke, president, ABC Entertainment.

“For over a century, movies have played an important role in comforting, inspiring, and entertaining us during the darkest of times. They certainly have this year. Our hope, in extending the eligibility period and our Awards date, is to provide the flexibility filmmakers need to finish and release their films without being penalized for something beyond anyone’s control,” said Academy President David Rubin and Academy CEO Dawn Hudson. “This coming Oscars and the opening of our new museum will mark an historic moment, gathering movie fans around the world to unite through cinema.”

When it comes to the Academy Museum, similar attempts at safety are also being taken before the site will allow its doors to swing wide for guests. “I speak for all of us at the Museum when I say that we have been eagerly awaiting the moment when we can share the Academy Museum with movie lovers everywhere.  With the unprecedented and devastating pandemic happening around the world and our commitment first and foremost to the health and safety of our visitors and staff, we have made the difficult decision to wait a few more months to open our doors.  Thankfully, with COVID-19 safety protocols in place, exhibitions continue to be installed.  We look forward to April 2021 when Los Angeles and the world will be able to join together as the Academy celebrates the Oscars and the opening of its long-dreamed-of Museum,” said Bill Kramer, director of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.

Meanwhile, eligibility info and a show date for the 2022 Oscars will be announced at a later time.

For now, here is a key date breakdown for the 2020/2021 Oscar season:

Preliminary voting begins    Monday, February 1, 2021
Preliminary voting ends    Friday, February 5, 2021
Oscar Shortlists Announcement    Tuesday, February 9, 2021
Nominations voting begins    Friday, March 5, 2021
Nominations voting ends    Wednesday, March 10, 2021
Oscar Nominations Announcement    Monday, March 15, 2021
Oscar Nominees Luncheon    Thursday April 15, 2021
Finals voting begins    Thursday April 15, 2021
Museum Gala    Saturday, April 17, 2021
Finals voting ends    Tuesday, April 20, 2021
Oscars Oscar    Sunday, April 25, 2021
Museum Public Opening    Friday, April 30, 2021

Last but not least, the Academy’s Scientific and Technical Awards presentation, which was expected to take place on June 20,2020 in Beverly Hills, has also been postponed with a replacement date yet to be determined.

Original Article:

The board of governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is gearing up for an emergency meeting this morning and it's all about Hollywood's biggest night of 2021.

The 93rd Academy Awards is scheduled for February 28, 2021, but the COVID-19 pandemic has shuttered theaters nationwide since mid-March. This has resulted in several films delaying or shifting their release dates which have limited the number of films that could be eligible for Hollywood's highest honor. In news coming to us from "The Hollywood Reporter", the Academy's 54 governors are likely to delay the ceremony's date by as many as eight weeks and they will extend the eligibility window beyond December 31, 2020.

Despite this being a highly unusual move for the Academy, this is not the first time this has been considered by the board. To date, the Oscars have been delayed three times before. The first time occurred in 1938 during the Los Angeles flooding and that was followed by the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1968. The third and final time the Oscars saw a delay was after the attempted assassination of Pres. Ronald Reagan in 1981. When it comes to extending the eligibility for qualifying for the awards, this was extended beyond the traditional 12-month period once before, ahead of the 6th Oscars. That ceremony, in March 1934, was preceded by a 17-month eligibility window spanning August 1, 1932, through December 31, 1933.

The Academy has not made the decision when it comes to the format as well. The cards are on the table to host the ceremony as is with an audience or it could be done virtually to maintain safety protocols due to COVID-19. They believe there is still enough time to wait and see how the pandemic unfolds but they will have to put a hold on a new date on the calendar of their broadcasting partner, ABC if a major change like that is to take place.

Do  YOU think it's necessary to postpone the Oscars? Will there be enough films on the docket to qualify for major awards for the 2021 ceremony?