The 93rd annual Academy Awards show isn’t scheduled to air until February 28, 2021, but it appears that due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the upcoming ceremony could be delayed.

Per Variety, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is considering a postponement of the 2021 telecast on ABC. “It’s likely they’ll be postponed,” a source close to the situation informed Variety. The outlet goes on to report that the details surrounding the potential delay have not been formally discussed and “another source says the date is currently unchanged.”

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Back in April, the Oscars changed its rules in a big way because of Coronavirus, allowing movies that debuted on digital or streaming platforms to qualify for Best Picture. However, this new exception is only being made for the upcoming 93rd Academy Awards. In normal circumstances, the Academy requires a movie to be shown in a movie theater in L.A. County “for a theatrical qualifying run of at least seven consecutive days, during which period screenings must occur at least three times daily.”

In regards to whether or not the Oscars will actually be delayed, Academy president David Rubin told Variety that “It’s impossible to know what the landscape will be. We know we want to celebrate film but we do not know exactly what form it will take.”

In other Oscar news, find out why Joker was never going to win Best Picture, and check out the complete 2020 winner’s list right here.

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David Griffin still watches DuckTales in his pajamas with a cereal bowl in hand. He’s also the TV Editor for IGN. Say hi on Twitter.

Source: IGN.com Oscars 2021 May Get Postponed