Academy announces new requirements for best picture category eligibility

The Academy has announced a new set of requirements for eligibility in the Oscars’ best picture category.

The changes, which require films to have a longer theatrical run, will apply to films released in 2024, ahead of the 97th annual awards show.

Academy chief executive Bill Kramer and president Janet Yang said the decision was in order to “increase the visibility of films worldwide and encourage audiences to experience our artform in a theatrical setting”.

On completion of an initial qualifying run, currently defined as a one-week theatrical release in one of the six US qualifying cities, a film must also meet additional theatrical standards to be eligible for best picture.

This includes an expanded theatrical run of seven days, consecutive or non-consecutive, in 10 of the top 50 US markets, no later than 45 days after the initial release in 2024.

Distributors must submit release plans to the Academy for verification for late-in-the-year films with expansions after January 10 2025.

Release plans for late-in-the-year films must also include a planned expanded theatrical run, to be completed no later than January 24 2025.

The Academy added that non-US territory releases could count towards two of the 10 markets.

The new additional requirements are for best picture and do not apply to the other Oscars categories.

“As we do every year, we have been reviewing and assessing our theatrical eligibility requirements for the Oscars,” Kramer and Yang said in a statement.

“In support of our mission to celebrate and honour the arts and sciences of moviemaking, it is our hope that this expanded theatrical footprint will increase the visibility of films worldwide and encourage audiences to experience our artform in a theatrical setting.

“Based on many conversations with industry partners, we feel that this evolution benefits film artists and movie lovers alike.”