Oscar voters actually need to watch the nominated movies now

In order to cast a final-round vote in the Oscars race, Academy members are now required to watch each film nominated in a category. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that news on Monday, along with other updates to rules for the 2026 Oscars.

Until now, that was a requirement for nominations in specialty categories, like documentary feature and international feature. But members voting in all other categories have been on the honor system — encouraged, but not required, to watch all the nominated films and performances for which they vote in the final round.

The organization says it does monitor whether or not its members view nominated films on its private online screening room. Going forward, members will need to submit a form indicating whether they've seen films "elsewhere," such as at a film festival or a private event, before they can vote for finalists.

The Academy also shared new insight into its approach to artificial intelligence in filmmaking – an increasingly hot topic in Hollywood, where AI played a major part in labor negotiations during the 2023 writers and actors strikes. Going forward, generative AI and other digital tools "neither help nor harm the chances of achieving a nomination," reads the new regulation. "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."

Best picture nominee The Brutalist prompted conversation earlier this year over the use of an AI tool to enhance the Hungarian accents of co-stars Adrien Brody and Felicity Jones.

In its new regulations, the Academy also opened more possibilities for filmmakers who are refugees or have asylum status in the countries from which films are submitted. A new rule states that to be eligible for consideration in the international feature film category, countries will now have to 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."

For the first time, casting directors will get their own Oscars statuettes in the 2026 Oscars. They are required to submit "written descriptions of the casting process unique to their films," and to include "a photo grid of the cast and/or the full cast list."

Next year's Oscars ceremony will be March 15, 2026, hosted by comedian Conan O'Brien and broadcast live on ABC.
Copyright 2025 NPR