Oscars Sets New Rules for 2025

See - Sada Elbalad

22-04-2025

Yara Sameh
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has introduced new awards rules, updated campaign promotional regulations, and key dates for the upcoming 98th Oscars.
The nominations voting period will run from Monday, January 12, through Friday, January 16. Official nominees will be announced on Thursday, January 22, followed by the annual Oscar Nominees Luncheon on Tuesday, February 10. Final voting to determine winners will open Wednesday, February 26, and close on Wednesday, March 5 — 10 days ahead of the live ceremony.
Kathy Bates stars as the brilliant septuagenarian Madeline Matlock in the new drama series, MATLOCK, inspired by the classic television series of the same name. Madeline achieved success in her younger years and decides to rejoin the workforce at a prestigious law firm, where she uses her unassuming demeanor and wily tactics to win cases and expose corruption from within.
Among the most notable changes are revised voting requirements, the introduction of an Achievement in Casting award, and clarified guidance on the use of generative artificial intelligence in film production.
The updated rules also include expanded eligibility for international filmmakers and new submission deadlines across several categories.
In a key procedural shift, Academy members are now required to view all nominated films within a category to be eligible to vote in the final round. While it's surprising this wasn't already a formal requirement, questions remain about how the Academy plans to verify compliance and enforce the rule.
Similar to how BAFTA conducts its voting, Academy members will only be able to access final round ballots for categories in which they've confirmed they've watched all nominated films.
The Academy will monitor viewing activity through its members-only Academy Screening Room streaming platform. For films viewed outside the platform — such as at festivals, screenings or private events — members must submit a form indicating when and where they watched the film.
The verification process, previously used in preliminary and nomination voting for categories like international feature, animated feature, and the short film races, is now being applied to all categories. The move is intended to reduce so-called 'coattail voting' and encourage more informed decisions from voters.
Additionally, all designated nominees in each category will now appear on the final ballot — an update from previous years when only the film title appeared. This is a welcome change for perennial nominees like songwriter Diane Warren and sound designer Greg P. Russell.
For the first time in Oscars history, the Academy will present an award for Achievement in Casting, recognizing the creative collaboration between casting directors, filmmakers, and producers in assembling a film's acting ensemble.
To determine the nominees, the Casting Directors Branch will review eligible films and vote to shortlist up to 10 titles, based on the level of creative input and collaboration demonstrated during the casting process.
The shortlist will then be featured in a dedicated 'Bake-Off' event, where branch members will view five-minute reels and participate in a Q&A with the casting directors.
Casting directors associated with the shortlisted films will be asked to submit a written description of their casting process and a photo grid or full cast list. The Branch Executive Committee will then determine which individuals — no more than two — were primarily responsible for casting and received on-screen credit.
In exceptional cases, such as those involving specialized or multi-location casting, the committee may consider a third credited individual. Producers and directors may be consulted in this process, and all eligibility matters will be resolved by the Executive Committee, subject to Board of Governors' approval.
Following the Bake-Off, only Casting Branch members who have viewed all 10 films will vote to select five nominees. An edited version of the presentations and cast materials will then be made available to all Academy members for final voting, which is open to active and life members. Disputes or eligibility questions must be submitted by a deadline to be determined.
The award for best cinematography has also been added to the shortlist process. The Cinematographers Branch will name between 10 and 20 films for consideration. Voting for all shortlist categories — including sound, visual effects and makeup and hairstyling, documentary feature, international feature and the three shorts — will take place from December 8–12.
As of now, 12 artisan categories use shortlists, with only production design, costume design, and film editing still determined solely through the nominations phase.
The Academy also issued its first formal guidance on AI in filmmaking. New rules state that the use of generative AI or other digital tools will neither help nor hinder a film's chances of being nominated. Instead, voters are instructed to evaluate the degree of human creative authorship involved.
The rule states: 'With regard to Generative Artificial Intelligence and other digital tools used in the making of the film, the tools neither help nor harm the chances of achieving 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.'
For best picture consideration, films must submit proof of submission to the Producers Guild of America based on their release window. Titles released between January 1 and June 30, 2025, must submit by September 10. Films released between July 1 and December 31, 2025, must submit by November 13.
The earlier submission timeline is likely intended to avoid confusion, such as this past season when six of the 10 best picture nominees were initially listed as 'nominees to be determined.'
Other rule and campaign changes include:
Animated Short Film nominations voting will now be open to all Academy members who opt in and watch all 15 shortlisted films.
International Feature Film eligibility has been expanded to include filmmakers with refugee or asylum status.
Music categories now have earlier submission deadlines: Oct. 15 for original song and Nov. 3 for original score.
Oscar-qualifying film festivals, such as AFI, Cannes, and Doc NYC, may now have access to approved mailing houses to share information about festival programming with Academy members.
Key dates for the 2025 Oscars season begin in August and run through the live broadcast in March. The full calendar of submission deadlines, voting periods, and special events is available on oscars.org/rules and is below.
This year's slate of films look to be promising, and could include films by Guillermo del Toro ('Frankenstein'), Chloé Zhao ('Hamnet'), Yorgos Lanthimos ('Bugonia') and individually from the Safdie brothers (Benny Safdie's 'The Smashing Machine' and Josh Safdie's 'Marty Supreme').
All rules and dates for the 98th Academy Awards remain subject to change. The Oscars are set to take place on March 15, 2026.
See all Academy Award predictions
Variety Awards Circuit: Oscars
Thursday, August 14, 2025 – First submission deadline for Animated Short Film, Documentary Feature Film, Documentary Short Film, and Live Action Short Film categories
Wednesday, September 10, 2025 – First submission deadline for General Entry categories, Animated Feature Film, Best Picture, and RAISE form
Wednesday, October 1, 2025 – Submission deadline for International Feature Film
Monday, October 6, 2025 – Student Academy Awards
Thursday, October 9, 2025 – Final submission deadline for Animated Short Film, Documentary Short Film, and Live Action Short Film categories
Wednesday, October 15, 2025 – Submission deadline for Music (Original Song)
Thursday, October 16, 2025 – Final submission deadline for Documentary Feature Film
Monday, November 3, 2025 – Submission deadline for Music (Original Score)
Thursday, November 13, 2025 – Final submission deadline for General Entry categories, Animated Feature Film, Best Picture, and RAISE form
Sunday, November 16, 2025 – Governors Awards
Monday, December 8, 2025 (9 a.m. PT) – Preliminary voting begins
Friday, December 12, 2025 (5 p.m. PT) – Preliminary voting ends
Tuesday, December 16, 2025 – Oscars Shortlists Announcement
Saturday, January 10 / Sunday, January 11, 2026 – Casting, Makeup and Hairstyling, Sound, and Visual Effects nominating screenings (bake-offs)
Monday, January 12, 2026 (9 a.m. PT) – Nominations voting begins
Friday, January 16, 2026 (5 p.m. PT) – Nominations voting ends
Thursday, January 22, 2026 – Oscars Nominations Announcement
Tuesday, February 10, 2026 – Oscars Nominees Event
Thursday, February 26, 2026 (9 a.m. PT) – Finals voting begins
Thursday, March 5, 2026 (5 p.m. PT) – Finals voting ends
Sunday, March 15, 2026 – 98th Oscars
Tuesday, April 28, 2026 – Scientific and Technical Awards
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