Earlier this year, a war seemed to be brewing in Hollywood in the tussle between the traditional theatrical model of distribution, and the increasing prevalence of streaming services like Netflix releasing their own content online for mass audiences. Reports came in that the eligibility of streaming movies at the Oscars could be under threat, with proposed changes that would see films primarily set to be experienced on the small screen considered for Emmys instead.
Now, the outcome of an Academy meeting is that the rules will not change – Netflix movies will still be eligible at the Oscars. “A film must have a minimum seven-day theatrical run in a Los Angeles County commercial theater, with at least three screenings per day for paid admission,” reads a statement on the Academy website. “Motion pictures released in nontheatrical media on or after the first day of their Los Angeles County theatrical qualifying run remain eligible.” That means Martin Scorsese’s upcoming Netflix crime epic The Irishman is still likely to be a prime Oscar contender come awards season.
While it was reported that legendary director Steven Spielberg was a key voice in the calls for the rules to be changed, the filmmaker told the New York Times that he has no qualms with Netflix. “I want people to find their entertainment in any form or fashion that suits them,” he said. “Big screen, small screen — what really matters to me is a great story and everyone should have access to great stories.
He added: “However, I feel people need to have the opportunity to leave the safe and familiar of their lives and go to a place where they can sit in the company of others and have a shared experience – cry together, laugh together, be afraid together – so that when it’s over they might feel a little less like strangers. I want to see the survival of movie theaters. I want the theatrical experience to remain relevant in our culture.” Spielberg did not attend the Academy meeting to discuss potential rule changes – he's currently in New York in pre-production on his new take on West Side Story.
There are a few Oscar rule changes elsewhere – the Foreign Language Film category will now be known as International Feature Film, though the rules of eligibility there remain the same. The Animated Feature film will now be part of the ceremony every year – with previous rules dictating that eight eligible films had to have been released within the calendar year for the category to be ‘activated’. The number of Makeup and Hairstyling nominees is increasing from three to five, while the Animated and Live Action Short Films category will now accept theatrical runs in New York as well as LA for eligibility.
It remains to be seen how traditional Hollywood continues to adapt to the advent of premium streaming content – but for now, Netflix’s Oscar dreams remain alive and well.
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