Like a instructor scolding college students for not doing their homework, the Academy of Movement Image Arts and Sciences has instituted a key rule change for the 2026 Oscars, requiring that voters watch all of the nominated motion pictures in every class to take part in last voting.
“Academy members should now watch all nominated movies in every class to be eligible to vote within the last spherical for the Oscars,” the procedural change reads. It’s unclear how voters are anticipated to show they’ve watched the nominated movies, however the requirement is now at the least in writing.
The announcement additionally options the Academy’s first official assertion on whether or not using AI impacts eligibility: “With regard to Generative Synthetic Intelligence and different digital instruments used within the making of the movie, the instruments neither assist nor hurt the probabilities of attaining a nomination. The Academy and every department will choose the achievement, making an allowance for the diploma to which a human was on the coronary heart of the inventive authorship when selecting which film to award.”
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Different notable guidelines adjustments embody that last ballots will now checklist the names of all designated nominees, along with the nominated film. Eligibility and voting guidelines for the inaugural Oscar for Achievement in Casting have additionally been codified. This features a preliminary spherical of voting to create a shortlist of 10 movies. Nominations voting will then be preceded by a “bake-off” presentation of the shortlisted achievements, together with a Q&A with designated nominees.
Moreover, Academy members who view all 15 shortlisted motion pictures within the Animated Quick Movie class will now be capable of vote within the nominations spherical. There’s additionally a brand new preliminary spherical of voting for the Cinematography class, narrowing down a shortlist to between 10 and 20 movies.
The eligibility requirement for the Worldwide Characteristic Movie class has additionally been up to date to learn: “The submitting nation should affirm that inventive management of the movie was largely within the arms of residents, residents, or people with refugee or asylum standing within the submitting nation.”
In one other procedural replace, the submission deadlines for Finest Unique Track and Finest Unique Rating have been separated, with the previous touchdown on Wednesday, October fifteenth, 2025, and the latter on Monday, November third, 2025.
See the total checklist of guidelines and marketing campaign promotional laws for the 98th Oscars right here. The ceremony is scheduled to air reside on ABC on Sunday, March fifteenth, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT.