93rd Annual Academy Awards To Be Postponed?

The threat of the coronavirus is getting bigger day after day. Many organizations have been forced to cancel their annual conferences or cultural events to prevent the spread of the disease. And it seems, dark clouds are hovering over Hollywood’s biggest night, too.

According to Variety, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences is thinking of postponing the 93rd Annual Academy Awards ceremony that’s scheduled to take in February, next year. Sources confirmed with the media outlet that next year’s star-studded event is likely to be postponed.

“It is likely, they will be postponed,” one of the sources said.

The insider also claimed that a formal discussion on potential new dates has not taken place yet.

On the other hand, another source told the publication that the date has not been changed by The Academy and the event could still take place on Feb. 28, 2021.

The report comes almost a month after David Rubin, the president of The Academy, told the Hollywood Reporter that the Academy is trying to serve its members well. Rubin also noted at the time that they were making “every effort” to take on the challenges posed by the ongoing pandemic.

In the same interview, Rubin explained that it was really difficult to predict what form the Oscars would be taking amid the coronavirus outbreak.

“I think it's impossible at this early date to predict what form the Oscars will take, other than the fact that we look forward to celebrating movies in the most appropriate way given the way this all unfolds,” Rubin said.

The potential postponement comes a few weeks after the Academy announced that they have made some changes to the eligibility criteria in response to the ongoing pandemic. Films that were slated for a theatrical release and are available for streaming for the members of the Academy on the company’s members-only streaming service will be eligible for a nomination at Hollywood’s biggest night.

Entries need to be submitted within two months or within 60 days of being available on a streaming or VOD service.

As far as the pandemic is concerned, the U.S. is the only nation to have more than 1.5 million cases of COVID-19. Meanwhile, the world has witnessed over 4.9 million cases and 324,889 deaths as of late.