New Oscars rule sparks backlash as netizens question voting integrity

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced that Oscar voters must now watch all nominated films in a given category to be eligible to cast their final votes. This procedural change is aimed at ensuring a more informed and equitable awards process, with all designated nominees to be included on the final ballot.

However, the new rule has ignited a storm of reactions online, with many users expressing disbelief that such a basic standard wasn’t already in place. One viral post read, “What? This wasn’t a rule? How the heck do you vote for an Oscar if you didn’t watch all the films? LOL” Another said, “What were they voting for until now? Trailers?”

The announcement has led to a wave of skepticism regarding the credibility of past Oscar results. “This honestly makes me question the integrity of previous Oscar wins,” one user commented. “Imagine if Dune: Part Two didn’t get an award simply because voters couldn’t be bothered to sit through a two-hour film, and the clip they saw felt too boring or confusing without context.”

Others questioned the practicality of the rule, with one commenter pointing out, “How will you prove this? I could go to the theater and sleep through every one or play the screeners on an empty couch. It seems this is more wish fulfillment than actual enforceable policy.”

Criticism also extended to the timing of the policy, with users said that such a rule is being introduced nearly a century after the awards began. “Imagine implementing such rule 97 years into the existence of the award,” one post read. Another added, “So they voted against movies they didn’t even watch? I know why nobody takes the Oscars seriously.”

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