Academy Unveils Major Rule Changes for 99th Oscars, Emphasizing Human Authorship and New Submission Paths
Under the new rules, actors may now receive multiple nominations in the same category for different performances, provided those performances rank in the top five votes.
RMN Stars Awards Desk
New Delhi | May 2, 2026
LOS ANGELES, CA — The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Board of Governors has officially approved a series of substantive rule changes, inclusion standards, and campaign promotional regulations for the upcoming 99th Academy Awards. The updates introduce significant shifts in acting eligibility, international film submissions, and technical requirements, while placing a heavy emphasis on human-led creative work.
Human Authorship and AI Regulations
In a move to address evolving technology, the Academy has codified that screenplays must be human-authored to be eligible in the Writing categories. This focus on human creativity extends to the acting branch, where only roles credited in the film’s legal billing and demonstrably performed by humans with their consent will be considered eligible. Additionally, the Academy reserves the right to request detailed information regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence to ensure human authorship standards are met.
Shifts in Acting and Casting
Under the new rules, actors may now receive multiple nominations in the same category for different performances, provided those performances rank in the top five votes—a change that aligns the acting branch with other award categories. Furthermore, the number of statuettes awarded in the Casting category has increased, now allowing for a maximum of three statuettes rather than two.
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New Paths for International Features
The International Feature Film category has introduced a secondary pathway for eligibility. While films can still be submitted by a country’s official selection committee, a non-English language film can now qualify by winning a top award at a specified international film festival, such as the Berlin (Golden Bear), Cannes (Palme d’Or), or Sundance (World Cinema Grand Jury Prize). Additionally, the award will now be credited to the film itself rather than a country or region, and the director’s name will be listed on the statuette plaque.
Technical and Voting Updates
Several technical categories have updated their procedures:
- Cinematography: The preliminary voting round will now produce a shortlist of 20 films, up from the previous range of 10–20.
- Original Song: Eligibility for songs placed in the end credits now requires the submission clip to include the final 15 seconds of the film before the credits begin.
- Visual Effects and Makeup: To be eligible to vote, members must now meet specific attendance or viewing requirements, such as watching “Before and After” reels from the Visual Effects Bake-Off.
Campaign and Accessibility Changes
The Academy has also updated its campaign promotional regulations to improve transparency and inclusivity. Pre-nomination Q&A sessions may now feature up to two moderators. Furthermore, all digital promotional materials (eblasts) sent to members must include contact information for accessibility and disability inquiries to ensure screening accommodations are properly addressed.
Key Submission Deadlines
The Academy has set the following key dates for the 2026–2027 season:
- August 13, 2026: First deadline for Animated Short Film, Documentary Feature, and Documentary Short categories.
- September 30, 2026: Deadline for International Feature Film submissions.
- November 12, 2026: Final submission deadline for General Entry, Best Picture, and Animated Feature categories.
- January 8–10, 2027: Mandatory branch voting events (bake-offs) for Casting, Sound, and Visual Effects.
All rules and dates remain subject to change by the Board of Governors as the season progresses.
