LOS ANGELES — The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (oscars.org) and the ABC Television Network have announced that the 93rd Oscars ceremony will move to Sunday, April 25, 2021, as a result of the global pandemic caused by COVID-19. The show, which will air live on ABC, was originally scheduled for February 28th.
Dates also have shifted for the Academy Awards eligibility period, submission deadlines and related awards season events. The eligibility period for Academy Awards consideration has been extended beyond the standard December 31t deadline. A feature film must now have a qualifying release date between January 1, 2020 and February 28, 2021. The submission deadline for specialty categories (Animated Feature Film, Documentary Feature, Documentary Short Subject, International Feature Film, Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film) is December 1, 2020. The submission deadline for general entry categories, including Best Picture, Original Score and Original Song, is now January 15, 2021.
Going forward, the plan is to return to a schedule that recognizes excellence in films released in the January-December calendar year.
Academy key dates for the 2020/2021 Oscar season are as follows:
Preliminary voting begins - Monday, February 1, 2021
Preliminary voting ends - Friday, February 5, 2021
Oscar Shortlists Announcement - Tuesday, February 9, 2021
Nominations voting begins - Friday, March 5, 2021
Nominations voting ends - Wednesday, March 10, 2021
Oscar Nominations Announcement - Monday, March 15, 2021
Oscar Nominees Luncheon - Thursday April 15, 2021
Finals voting begins - Thursday April 15, 2021
Museum Gala - Saturday, April 17, 2021
Finals voting ends - Tuesday, April 20, 2021
Oscars Oscar - Sunday, April 25, 2021
Museum Public Opening - Friday, April 30, 2021
The Academy’s Scientific and Technical Awards presentation, which was scheduled for June 20th in Beverly Hills, has been postponed to a later date, still to be determined.
The Academy’s Governors Awards, an annual celebration held at the Ray Dolby Ballroom in Hollywood, will not take place this fall. Additional information about the ceremony and selection of honorees will be provided at a later date.