Are There Going to be Oscars in 2021?
It’s October, and yet, somehow, we’re talking about the Oscars. Again.
For an independent outlet that constantly criticises and ridicules the Academy Awards, we sure seem to be talking about them a lot. What is there to say? We’re hypocrites. We’ve got a love-hate relationship with this ceremony.
In our defense: there is something to talk about right now.
Today we woke up to the news that Villeneuve’s Dune got postponed. This was expected, but still hit hard. This pretty much solidifies the idea that there will be almost no quality major movies in 2020.
No quality major movies, but also: almost no movies at all, besides those released on demand.
We are wondering, as are many are, considering the fact that mostly all productions were pushed a year or two, if there is even going to be an Oscar’s ceremony this year. The Academy Awards for 2020 releases are scheduled sometime late April in 2021. Now, you might think to yourself that this is a smart move because it allows for almost half a year of movies between January and April to be eligible. That is not at all the case.
An Oscar ceremony in 2021 is still just for films that were released in 2020. This doesn’t have to be a theatrical release; it can be a festival premiere or a limited release, but the films has to be out by the end of 2020. Which means that the late Oscars date this year is simply because they need more time to adjust the production of the ceremony due to Covid; not because they want more movies to be eligible.
So is there even going to be an Oscars ceremony?
Our guess is: yes. Which is a good thing. Bear with us.
While the ceremony this year is going to be sad (we’re expecting mostly obscure indie flicks and some incredible stretches), it’s important to think long-term. The Covid situation has ruined not only the upcoming 93rd Academy Awards, but also the 94th and 95th (respectively, the Oscars for years 2021 and 2022).
Yes, this year will be sad because we won’t get any exciting releases nominates simply because there aren’t many exciting releases to nominate. But the upcoming two years will be even worse because of the exact opposite: there are (currently) so many great films coming out in 2021 and 2022. We are going to see so many more films get snubbed out of a nomination that would have otherwise been rightfully theirs.
There is really nothing the Academy can do here.
What’s the better plan? Cancel the 2020 awards and make films that came out this year eligible for the next awards? That’s the idea that we hear the most, and yet, it’s quite illogical; if this were to happen, even more films would get snubbed. There would be pretty much twice the amount of features eligible for nominations in 2022 that what initially planned. Better just hand out awards for the few in 2021 and bear for survival of the fittest in 2022.
The Oscars should just go ahead and proceed as if nothing is happening. It’s sad, it’s disappointing, but hey, the Oscars are usually sad and disappointing. Maybe this will allow for some much needed excitement during the world’s most prestigious film awards. Remains to be seen.
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— Pouty Boy
I’m with you – I think they should still go ahead. It would make fascinating history and will be quite funny when Sonic the Hedgehog winds up being an Oscar-nominated movie!
Definitely!