Why Oscars’ new popularity contest is a dumb idea
Academy adds popular film category, promises faster-paced telecast
The Oscars are shaking things up in a big way.
On Wednesday, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced it will begin to acknowledge the impact of major blockbusters in future broadcasts.
That’s right: For once, box-office hits like “Star Wars” and “Wonder Woman” actually have a shot.
A film could be eligible for an Oscar in the new “popular” category as well as best picture. More details are still being finalized for the added category, which will be introduced at the upcoming 91st Oscars on Feb. 24, 2019.
The Academy has a history of turning its back on blockbuster fare. As superhero franchises have taken over Hollywood, neither Marvel or DC films have been able to break into the awards, save for the technical categories.
The Oscars famously snubbed recent hits like “Wonder Woman,” “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” “Deadpool,” “Girls Trip” and “Finding Dory.” (There are occasional exceptions: James Cameron’s 2009 hit “Avatar” made it all the way to a best picture nomination.)
But major backlash began brewing as soon as the plan to honor “popular” fare was announced.
Many critics pointed out that seminal films like “Black Panther,” this year’s groundbreaking, AfricanAmerican-led superhero blockbuster, could now be relegated to the new bucket of simply popular fare.
“As for a ‘popular film’ award, it is a ghetto and will be perceived that way,” tweeted Vulture contributor Mark Harris, who theorized voters will say, “Oh, It’s lovely that the rabble went to ‘Black Panther’ — here’s a special fake Oscar it can win!”
As Hollywood’s most esteemed film organization has turned its back on popular fare, ratings for the Oscars have plummeted.
Continuing a recent trend, ratings for this year’s Jimmy Kimmel-hosted show dropped to a record low of 26.5 million viewers, down 20 percent from the previous year’s 33 million.
When James Cameron’s blockbuster “Titanic” won best picture and 10 other awards in 1998, more than 55 million viewers watched the Oscar telecast. When “Moonlight” won best picture in 2017, only 33 million viewers watched. The difference in worldwide box office for these two films was $2 billion vs. $65 million respectively.
The Academy also announced that the Oscars show is moving up on the awards calendar. “We’ve set an earlier airdate for 2020: Mark your calendars for Feb. 9,” it wrote. In addition, “we’re planning a more globally accessible, threehour telecast.” (By contrast, the 2018 show clocked in at 3 hours, 50 minutes.)