Major change to voting eligibility for 2026 Oscars

• The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced a new rule for the 2026 Oscars, which requires Academy members to watch all nominated films in each category to be eligible to cast their final ballots.
• This change sparked surprise and disbelief online, as many assumed this was already a requirement.
• Some social media users called for revotes of past awards, believing outcomes would have differed under this rule.
• Previously, some voters admitted to not watching all nominated films before voting.
• The 2026 Oscars ceremony is scheduled for March 15, with preliminary voting beginning in December.

IN FULL

Oscars makes major change to voting system — but viewers can’t believe it wasn’t already a rule