People have been left stunned as the Oscars is introducing a major new rule set to take effect in 2026.
On Monday (April 21), the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that beginning with the 2026 Oscars, voting members will be required to watch all nominated films in any category before being allowed to cast their final round ballots.
“Academy members must now watch all nominated films in each category to be eligible to vote in the final round for the Oscars,” the Academy revealed in its statement.
To enforce the policy, members will have to view the nominated films via the Academy’s official screening room platform or provide evidence of having watched them elsewhere, such as at festivals or private events, with proof of when and where.
The announcement has left many film fans both surprised and bewildered. “THEY WEREN’T DOING THAT BEFORE?????????????????????” one user exclaimed on X (formerly Twitter).
Another said: “What? This wasn’t a rule? How the heck do you vote for an Oscar if you didn’t watch all the films? LOL," while a third slammed: "So prior to this they didn’t have to watch all the films? This goes to show that these award shows are not real!”
"This honestly makes me question the integrity of previous Oscar wins. Imagine if Dune: Part Two didn’t get an award simply because voters couldn’t be bothered to sit through a two-hour film, and the clip they saw felt too boring or confusing without context. There are so many great films that probably lost out this way," a fourth criticised.
One more blasted: "Imagine implementing such rule 97 years into the existence of the award."
The Oscars have historically operated on an honour system when it comes to final voting, unlike the British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA), which has enforced mandatory viewing requirements for years.
In addition to the new voting regulation, the Academy announced several other significant changes. Notably, an Oscar will be awarded for the first time in the category of Achievement in Casting.
According to Variety, the Academy explained that they will determine the nominees by having the Casting Directors Branch review eligible films and vote to shortlist up to 10 titles, based on the level of creative input and collaboration demonstrated during the casting process.
The Academy also addressed the growing use of artificial intelligence in filmmaking, an issue that drew attention this year after nominees Emilia Perez and The Brutalist were revealed to have used AI during production.
While stopping short of issuing new restrictions, the Academy clarified its stance: “With regard to Generative Artificial Intelligence and other digital tools used in the making of the film, the tools neither help nor harm the chances of achieving a nomination.
“The Academy and each branch will judge the achievement, taking into account the degree to which a human was at the heart of the creative authorship when choosing which movie to award,” the statement concluded.
The 98th Academy Awards are set to take place on March 15, 2026.