If you're getting fed up of book adaptations and art house movies sweeping up at the awards show when movies likes 'Wonder Woman' and 'Guardians of the Galaxy' are topping the box office, then the Academy Awards have now attempted to appease you with a brand new category that will acknowledge outstanding achievement in popular film.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences group’s president John Bailey and its CEO Dawn Hudson confirmed the news today although they didn't confirm what films would be eligible, but essentially, it's an award for blockbusters.
"We have heard from many of you about improvements needed to keep the Oscars and our Academy relevant in a changing world," Bailey and Hudson wrote in a note to members. "The Board of Governors took this charge seriously."
The Academy also announced that, due to falling ratings, future broadcasts will not be any longer than three-hours (last year's show clocked in at almost four hours). To accommodate a three-hour ceremony, select categories will be presented during commercial breaks and some winning moments will be edited and later aired during the broadcast.
Another notable change is that, as from 2020, the awards show will take place earlier on in February due to the number of televised film awards that are now on prior to the Oscars like The Golden Globes, The Screen Actors Guild, and The Critics Choice Awards. This can take away from the surprise element of the evening.
Next year’s Academy Awards will still air on Feb. 24th, as previously announced.