The Oscars mandate voters watch all nominated movies

NEW YORK

Oscar voters will no longer be able to skip watching some of the nominated films.

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences on April 21 announced that members will from now on be required to watch all nominated films in each category to be eligible to vote in the final round of Oscar voting. Up until now, Oscar voters had only been encouraged to watch the nominees, and vote in categories they felt qualified in.

But in recent years, what films get watched by academy members has been increasingly seen as a significant factor in what wins. At the same time, the publication of anonymous Oscar ballots has often featured members confessing that they didn't get around to watching some notable films or not finishing lengthier nominees.

On Monday, the academy also put forth a handful of new regulations on issues including AI, refugee filmmakers and the newly launched casting category.

In the best international film category, the academy will now allow filmmakers with refugee or asylum status to be represented by a country not their own. The rule change keeps in place the broad apparatus of how international nominees are submitted through countries, but it tweaks eligibility.

The regulation now reads: “The submitting country must confirm that creative control of the film was largely in the hands of citizens, residents or individuals with refugee or asylum status in the submitting country.”

The academy also ruled that the use of generative artificial intelligence tools “neither help nor harm the chances of a nomination.”

“The academy and each branch will judge the achievement, taking into account the degree to which a human was at the heart of the creative authorship when choosing which movie to award,” the academy said.

The film academy also set down some rules for its new achievement in casting Oscar . After a preliminary round of voting to determine a shortlist of 10 films, members of the casting branch will be invited to a “bake-off” presentation from the shortlisted films, including a Q&A with nominees.

Earlier in April, the academy announced a new category for stunt design, but that award won't begin until the 2028 Oscars.

Next year's Academy Awards will be held March 15, 2026, with Conan O'Brien returning to host the ABC telecast.