After widespread criticism from people within the film industry and fans alike, the Academy of Motion Arts and Sciences has decided to postpone the inclusion of its new Oscar category, Achievement in Popular Film. The move was announced a few weeks ago among other changes to future Oscar broadcasts, but it was not met with much, if any, enthusiasm.
One reason the category was postponed was because it is already nine months into the year and created challenges for both the films that had been released and the remaining films this year. The Academy has also been very vague in the rules and guidelines for the category and how films would qualify for them.
“There has been a wide range of reactions to the introduction of a new award, and we recognize the need for further discussion with our members,” said Academy CEO Dawn Hudson. “We have made changes to the Oscars over the years — including this year — and we will continue to evolve while also respecting the incredible legacy of the last 90 years.”
Among the criticism for the Popular Film category was the beliefs that it would devalue the Best Picture winner as well as giving ‘popular’ films that year – films such as anything in the MCU, Star Wars or other big blockbusters – more of a participation trophy than actual recognition.
Though the Academy has reversed course on this category, the other changes to the Oscars will still be implemented for next year. Among those is shortening the length of the broadcast to three hours and handing some of the awards out during the commercial breaks, at which point they will be edited to a shorter length and aired later in the broadcast. The categories chosen to sit out of the live broadcast will apparently rotate each year with the Academy and show producers collaborating to choose which ones are chosen.
