AWARDS RULES, CAMPAIGN REGULATIONS APPROVED FOR 98TH ACADEMY AWARDS; ACHIEVEMENT IN CASTING OSCAR TO MAKE DEBUT

 

2025 Oscars. File photo courtesy Sunil Sadarangani

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences' (A.M.P.A.S.) Board of Governors has approved awards rules and campaign promotional regulations for the 98th Academy Awards. In addition, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced key dates for the 2025 awards season. 

Category rules for eligibility and voting for the inaugural Academy Award for Achievement in Casting have been codified. There will be a preliminary round of voting to determine a shortlist of 10 films, and prior to nominations voting, Casting Directors Branch members will be invited to view a “bake-off” presentation of the shortlisted achievements, including a Q&A with the designated nominees.

In a procedural change, Academy members must now watch all nominated films in each category to be eligible to vote in the final round for the Oscars®. All designated nominees will also be included on the final ballot.

Other substantive awards rules changes include:

• In the rules for film eligibility, the following language regarding Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been introduced, as recommended by the Academy’s Science and Technology Council:

"With regard to Generative Artificial Intelligence and other digital tools used in the making of the film, the tools neither help nor harm the chances of achieving a nomination. The Academy and each branch will judge the achievement, taking into account the degree to which a human was at the heart of the creative authorship when choosing which movie to award."

• For consideration in the Best Picture category, films released from January 1, 2025, through June 30, 2025, must have shown proof of submission for Producers Guild of America (PGA) mark certification or awards-only determination no later than September 10, 2025. Films released from July 1, 2025, through December 31, 2025, must have shown proof of submission to the PGA no later than November 13, 2025.

• In the Animated Short Film category, voting privileges in the nominations round will be extended to all Academy members who opt in to participate. Members must view all 15 shortlisted films to be eligible to vote in the category.

• ​​​​​​In the Cinematography category, there will now be a preliminary round of voting for the Cinematography award to determine a shortlist of between 10 and 20 films.

• In the International Feature Film category, the eligibility requirement regarding creative control has been updated to be inclusive of filmmakers with refugee or asylum status.

"The submitting country must confirm that creative control of the film was largely in the hands of citizens, residents, or individuals with refugee or asylum status in the submitting country."

• For the Music categories, there will now be a separate, earlier deadline of Wednesday, October 15, 2025, 5 p.m. PT for song submissions. Original Score submissions will be due no later than Monday, November 3, 2025, at 5 p.m. PT.

Academy key dates, including submission deadlines and voting periods, for the 2025 Oscars season are as follows:

Thursday, August 14, 2025: First submission deadline for Animated Short Film, Documentary Feature Film, Documentary Short Film and Live Action Short Film categories

Wednesday, September 10, 2025: First submission deadline for General Entry categories, Animated Feature Film, Best Picture and RAISE form

Wednesday, October 1, 2025: Submission deadline for International Feature Film

Monday, October 6, 2025: Student Academy Awards

Thursday, October 9, 2025: Final submission deadline for Animated Short Film, Documentary Short Film and Live Action Short Film categories

Wednesday, October 15, 2025: Submission deadline for Music (Original Song)

Thursday, October 16, 2025: Final submission deadline for Documentary Feature Film

Monday, November 3, 2025: Submission deadline for Music (Original Score)

Thursday, November 13, 2025: Final submission deadline for General Entry categories, Animated Feature Film, Best Picture and RAISE form

Sunday, November 16, 2025: Governors Awards

Monday, December 8, 2025: Preliminary voting begins 9 a.m. PT

Friday, December 12, 2025: Preliminary voting ends 5 p.m. PT

Tuesday, December 16, 2025: Oscars Shortlists Announcement

Sat. Jan. 10 / Sun. Jan. 11, 2026: Casting, Makeup and Hairstyling, Sound and Visual Effects nominating screenings (bake-offs)

Monday, January 12, 2026: Nominations voting begins 9 a.m. PT

Friday, January 16, 2026: Nominations voting ends 5 p.m. PT

Thursday, January 22, 2026: Oscars Nominations Announcement

Tuesday, February 10, 2026: Oscars Nominees Event

Thursday, February 26, 2026: Finals voting begins 9 a.m. PT

Thursday, March 5, 2026: Finals voting ends 5 p.m. PT

Sunday, March 15, 2026: 98th Oscars

Tuesday, April 28, 2026: Scientific and Technical Awards
The Academy also updated and clarified formatting and language in the campaign promotional regulations for the 98th Oscars®. The campaign promotional regulations specify how motion picture companies and individuals directly associated with Oscars-eligible motion pictures may promote such motion pictures, achievements and performances to Academy members and how Academy members may promote Oscars-eligible motion pictures, achievements and performances.

Substantive changes to the campaign promotional regulations include:

• Oscar®-qualifying film festivals may now have access to approved mailing houses to share information about festival programming with Academy members.

• Public communications (including any social media posts, reposts, shares and comments) may not disparage the techniques used in or subject matter of any motion picture. Any Academy member, motion picture company or individual directly associated with an eligible motion picture found to be in violation will be subject to penalization.

All rules and dates for the 98th Academy Awards are subject to change.

For the complete 98th Academy Awards rules and campaign promotional regulations, visit oscars.org/rules.

The 98th Oscars will air live on ABC on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.