TheAcademy Awardshave long been the personification of the movie industry. Fromunforgettable hoststo variousscandalsandlegendary victories, the Oscars are just as much a part of the Hollywood zeitgeist as the movies themselves. But, following the 2025 ceremony, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences revealed an interesting and surprising new requirement.It wasrecentlyannouncedthat all Academy voters must view every single nominated film to participate in the ballot. In short, you can’t vote unless you’ve watched all films in full. While many are surprised that this wasn’t always the practice, others wonder just how the Academy plans to enforce the rule, and why it isnowgoing into effect.
How Does the Academy Plan to Enforce Its New Rule?
It’s been nearly two months sinceSean Baker’sAnoraswept the 97th annual Academy Awards, but the Academy is already looking forward to the 98th ceremony. While some arecalling for new considerations, the organization itself is looking to retool its procedures. According toVariety,the Academy recently announced that members who wish to cast a vote for the 2026 ceremony will have to view every single picture nominated in each category that they wish to participate in. Considering 50 films were up for awards this year, it may seem like quite a feat to accomplish from a logistics standpoint. However, the Academy’s initiative has a way to accommodate voters, as well as ensure the rule is enforced.
‘Anora’ Passes New Box Office Milestone After Best Picture Win at the Oscars
Lead Mikey Madison also took home the trophy for Best Actress.
Voters do not have to venture out to the theater to see each film that is nominated.The Academy has its own streaming service that participants are expected to utilize.Voters must watch each film nominated in all 24 categories if they wish to vote in each category, and the service is a way to ensure every member does so, as their ballots will unlock categories as they stream various films. For example, watching every film inthe 2025 Best Picture categorywould have unlocked the night’s biggest award, as well as Director, Actress, Supporting Actress, and Editing,because each Best Picture nominee was also nominated in these other categories.
There is an honor system in place for voters, should they view a film externally from the service, such as at a film festival or screening. Members will have to fill out a form that indicates that the movie has already been viewed. The system has been in place for years, but the hope is that the new rules will help ensure that more viewers have actually taken in each picture. Failure to comply will result in voters sitting out the 2026 season. While the system may seem a tad strict to some, the Academy views its reasons for doing so as integral to the ceremony’s future.
The Academy Hopes Its New Rules Will Ensure Integrity
For many audiences, there is nothing worse thanwatching a film they love be snubbedat the annual ceremony. While the new efforts won’t remedy this for everyone, the Academy hopes the new measures will encourage a new level of integrity for the show. The Oscars have faced an issue for years where voters will cast a vote for a movie or nominee based on its reputation, rather than its actual merits.Known as “Coattail voting,” the Academy is hoping to give a chance to any and all films based on their material, rather than the size of their marketing and budget. WhileAnorawas a small filmthat received praise from criticsand audiences, the movie famously ran an Oscars campaign that was more than twice the picture’s budget to achieve its status. The idea is that the efforts will restore a sense of “more informed, equitable voting” (per Variety) when it comes to movies of all sizes. And, with all the various ways to take in content now, the Academy hopes this will combat the excuse that viewers don’t “have enough time” to view each picture.
Per Variety, the proposal, which has already gone into effect as an official rule, has been well received by voters.It’s been seen as a way to maintain the dignity and respect that the Academy requires to operate. Considering howmany exciting films are already on the calendar for 2025, it seems like the perfect time for the Academy to implement this meaningful change — even if it’s been a long time coming.
The Oscars
