Oscars organizers said on Tuesday that films released only on streaming platforms or video on demand would be eligible for awards next year.
This drastic change is due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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Normally, it requires at least a seven-day run in Los Angeles theaters for movies to be eligible for the Oscars award.
However, due to the pandemic, picture houses in Los Angeles have been closed since mid-March, with no date set for them to reopen.
The Academy award said in a statement: “The Academy firmly believes there is no greater way to experience the magic of movies than to see them in a theatre. Our commitment to that is unchanged and unwavering.
“Nonetheless, the historically tragic COVID-19 pandemic necessitates this temporary exception to our awards eligibility rules,”
Under the new rule, films that had planned for a theatrical release but, due to closures, are instead first made available on a streaming or VOD service may qualify for the Oscars as long as they are made available on the academy’s member-only streaming site within 60 days of release and meet all other eligibility requirements.
Academy president, David Rubin told The Times: “This is really about looking out for our community and our filmmakers and understanding the extraordinary circumstances in this period of time.”
Once theaters begin to reopen, in order for films to more easily meet the academy’s exhibition requirements, the number of qualifying venues will be expanded beyond L.A. County to include New York, the San Francisco Bay Area, Chicago, Miami and Atlanta.
The Oscars are still scheduled to take place in Hollywood on Feb. 28, 2021.
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