For the first time in Oscar history, only Academy members who confirm they have seen all nominated films will be able to vote. The corresponding rule is approved by the new regulations of the 98th ceremony, which will take place on March 15, 2026.
This move is intended to improve the quality of judging — there have been cases in the past where people voted for familiar names or studios rather than for films they had seen. So far, specific details about how the jury will verify that they have seen the films have not been revealed in official announcements.
This is just one of a series of rule changes approved by the Academy this week. It will introduce an Oscar for casting for the first time, and it will also explicitly allow the use of generative AI. However, juries will have the discretion to factor this into their evaluation of a film.
Voting opportunities in the short film category have also been expanded, preliminary voting for cinematography has been introduced, and criteria for international films have been updated — now authors with refugee status will also be taken into account.