Oscar voters will no longer be able to throw votes into categories where they have not seen all nominees, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Monday.
The new rule is the most important in a group of regulations approved by Ampa’s board of the 98th Academy Awards, which will take place in March 2026.
Previously, Oscar voters had been on the honorary system; They were encouraged to see everyone nominated before voting, but the academy did not make a requirement in most categories. The biggest exception was in the best foreign film (now the best international feature film) and best documentary functional categories, where the only members who could give votes were those who could show that they had seen all five films in a theater.
During the years where that rule existed, these categories included some significant upsets, such as “the lives of others” that beat “Pan’s Labyrinth.” Theoretically, it can expand the rule to apply in all categories to lead to more upsets and surprise gains, although it can also reduce the number of Oscar voters.
The new rule applies to category-for-category, so that voters can vote in the categories where they have seen all nominees and refrain from categories where they do not have.
During a normal year, about 40 feature films and 15 shorts receive Oscar nominations. With all the nominees available in the only Academy screening room for members, it will probably be easier for members to see everything and easier for the academy to verify that they have done so.
Other significant rule changes include the addition of “all designated nominees” on the final vote. Previously, the actress categories were the only names of the nominees included on the vote; In all other categories, only the film’s name was included.
The academy also announced that the new performance in Casting Oscar, which will be introduced for this year’s Oscars, will have a preliminary vote to determine a 10-film card list, followed by “Baka-off” presentations (which includes Q & AS with the Casting directors) and a second vote. The cinematography category will also start a card list of between 10 and 20 films before the final nomination vote.
The Academy also released a statement recommended by Academy’s Science in Technology Council to clarify the Oscars standpoint at AI after an award season where films such as “The Brutalist” were criticized for the use of technology.
“When it comes to generative artificial intelligence and other digital tools used to create the film, the tools help or harm the chance to achieve nomination,” the statement reads. “The academy and each branch will assess the performance, taking into account the extent to which a human being was at the heart of the creative authorship when choosing which film to be assigned.”
Campaign regulations for this year’s Oscars were also clarified and updated, with the most significant change as tightening the language around forbidden posts on social media (as well as “reposting, parts and comments”:
“Public communication (including any social media posts, reposters, shares and comments) may not reduce the techniques used in or subject to any film. All academy members, film companies or individuals who are directly associated with a justified film that has proven to be in battle will be subject to punishment.”
The complete list of new rules and regulations is available on Oscars.org/rules.
