The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced new awards rules, updated promotional regulations, and key dates for the upcoming 98th Oscars.
The nominations voting period will occur from January 12 to January 16, with official nominees announced on January 22. The Oscar Nominees Luncheon is scheduled for February 10, and final voting will open on February 26 and close on March 5, ten days before the live ceremony.
Significant changes include revised voting requirements, the introduction of an Achievement in Casting award, and clarified guidelines regarding the use of generative artificial intelligence in film production.
Additionally, the updated rules expand eligibility for international filmmakers and introduce new submission deadlines across various categories.
Moreover, Academy members must now view all nominated films in a category to be eligible to vote in the final round. Members will access final round ballots only for categories where they have confirmed viewing of all nominated films, monitored through the Academy Screening Room streaming platform.
For films viewed outside this platform, members must submit a form detailing when and where they watched the film. This verification process aims to reduce “coattail voting” and encourage informed voting decisions.
All designated nominees in each category will now appear on the final ballot, a change from previous years when only film titles were listed. This update is particularly beneficial for frequent nominees like songwriter Diane Warren and sound designer Greg P. Russell.
For the first time, the Academy will present an award for Achievement in Casting, recognizing the collaboration between casting directors, filmmakers, and producers in assembling a film’s acting ensemble. The Casting Directors Branch will review eligible films and shortlist up to ten titles based on creative input and collaboration during the casting process. The shortlisted films will be featured in a Bake-Off event, where branch members will view reels and engage in Q&A sessions with casting directors.
Casting directors for the shortlisted films will submit a description of their casting process along with a cast list.
The Branch Executive Committee will identify up to two individuals primarily responsible for casting, with the possibility of including a third in exceptional cases.
Producers and directors may also be consulted in this process.
Following the Bake-Off, only Casting Branch members who have viewed all shortlisted films will vote to select five nominees.
An edited presentation of the materials will be made available to all Academy members for final voting, which will include both active and life members.
The award for Best Cinematography will also adopt a shortlist process, with the Cinematographers Branch naming between ten and twenty films for consideration. Voting for all shortlist categories, including sound, visual effects, and various feature films, will take place from December 8 to December 12.
The Academy has issued its first formal guidance on AI in filmmaking. New rules state that the use of generative AI will neither enhance nor hinder a film’s nomination chances, with voters instructed to assess the level of human creative authorship involved.
For Best Picture consideration, films must provide 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, while those released from July 1 to December 31, 2025, must submit by November 13.
Other notable changes include:
Key dates for the 2025 Oscars season will begin in August, culminating in the live broadcast on March 15, 2026.
The complete calendar of submission deadlines, voting periods, and special events is available on oscars.org/rules.
This year’s film slate includes promising titles from notable directors, such as Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein,” Chloé Zhao’s “Hamnet,” Yorgos Lanthimos’s “Bugonia,” and projects from the Safdie brothers.
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