The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has released new rules for judging shortlisted films for the 98th Academy Awards, which will take place on 15th March 2026.

In a statement, the Oscars organisers said “Academy members must now watch all nominated films in each category to be eligible to vote in the final round for the Oscars.” This marks a change from previous years, where watching every film was not a formal requirement.

This rule change has come into place following reports before the 97th Academy Awards, which claimed that some judges refused to watch nominated films such as Dune: Part Two (2024) due to their runtime.

Previously, before this rule change, voters were only encouraged to watch the nominees and vote in categories they felt qualified to judge.

The Oscars has also amended the rules regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in nominated films. The new rule stipulates that generative AI will “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.”

This qualification follows controversy surrounding recent nominees such as The Brutalist (2024) and Emilia Pérez (2024), both of which used AI during their production.

Other, smaller procedural amendments include changes to the Best International Feature Film category, which is now more inclusive of filmmakers with refugee or asylum status.

The news follows other recently announced changes. In February, the Academy announced that it will introduce a new Oscar for best casting beginning with the next ceremony in 2026. Furthermore, an Academy Award for Achievement in Stunt Design will be added to the roster of awards for the 100th Academy Awards in 2028.