Oscars make shock rule change for voters after 96 years
The internet is collectively losing its mind over this decision...
Award season is one of the most exciting times of the year.
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Everyone is excited to see their favourite movies, series, actors, directors and other creatives succeed.
The Academy Awards is by far the most highly anticipated night in film.
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Like most award shows, there is always some controversy surrounding the evening and the chosen winners.
Given its status and 96 years of existence, it has always been subject to more severe scrutiny and critique.
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In recent years, the voting systems and the winners of specific categories have been the subject of serious debate, and things tend to get heated.
Since the Academy Awards voting systems are shrouded in intense secrecy, their most recent announcement has shocked many.
It's not just fans that were caught off guard.
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Those in the industry, including actors, directors, producers, and others, thought it might be a belated April Fool's joke.
The academy announced a new rule this week that most filmgoers could be forgiven for assuming was already in place: From now on, members of the academy will be required to actually watch all the nominated films in each category they vote in.
The Oscars can make or break someone's career, and until now, they haven't been watching the movies?
Here are just some of the responses from actors, fans and critics that capture everyone's reaction to the news well:
Smart. I like that
— Patrick Schwarzenegger (@PSchwarzenegger) April 21, 2025
This should have been the rule from the start. How do you vote on winners without even watching all the films.
— Bü (@SabuOfficial) April 21, 2025
I was part of the production company with a film qualified for the Oscars last year and the biggest shock was the amount of money needed to promote the film so people from the Academy WOULD actually watch the film and vote to move it within different stages.
— Jonny (@Jonnywasapunk) April 22, 2025
Imagine considering yourself a prestigious body and your awards the pinnacle of the field, only to confess you cut corners, judge with bias, and don’t even view all the materials submitted to you lol.
— Kennyatta (@stillinthefield) April 21, 2025
What a joke.
So they were just blindly voting whatever name sounds good or poster looks great . This is like picking movie through Netflix main page .
— Prasad Bhojak (@BhojakPb) April 22, 2025
Many also mentioned how this was the final nail in the coffin and that they have now lost all respect for the organisation and the award show.
It's fair to say that the Academy must do some serious damage control before the following awards season.
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Main image courtesy of AFP