The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced plans on Wednesday to shorten the Oscars telecast and create a new category devoted to popular films, eliciting immediate reaction from Twitter skeptics who derided the upcoming changes.
The changes are likely an attempt to boost sagging ratings for the Oscars, which hit a new low this past March after years of steady decline. The rules were adopted by the Academy’s Board of Governors at a meeting on Tuesday night and detailed in an email sent to Academy members on Wednesday morning.
The Academy announced that it would create a category designed to salute “outstanding achievement in popular film.” It has also pledged to keep the show to three hours, and will also hand out “select categories” during commercial breaks, and then edit those presentations to be shown later in the telecast.
The changes drew a swift response from Twitter users, many of whom appeared to hold a particular ire for the new “popular film” category.
“The Big Sick” and “Ruby Sparks” actress Zoe Kazan drew parallels between the changes and the 2016 presidential election.
so can we have a Best Electoral College President and a Most Popular President now too, or…?
— zoe kazan (@zoeinthecities) August 8, 2018
“Lord of the Rings” star Elijah Wood appeared unapproving.
Best Popular Film? oof
— Elijah Wood (@elijahwood) August 8, 2018
IndieWire critic David Erlich offered a timeline for future Academy changes.
https://twitter.com/davidehrlich/status/1027221307396698117
Village Voice critic Bilge Ebiri shared his preference for a different new category.
The Academy: “We can’t add a Best Stunts category. The show is too long as it is!”
Also the Academy: “Here’s an inane new category nobody asked for that will further dilute the value of Best Picture.”
— Bilge Ebiri (@BilgeEbiri) August 8, 2018
Vulture editor Hunter Harris offered a choice criticism of the Academy.
@ the academy pic.twitter.com/w9g1vcX8M3
— hunter harris (@hunteryharris) August 8, 2018
But the new plan has, at least, one fan in “Pitch Perfect” star Rebel Wilson.
https://twitter.com/RebelWilson/status/1027239887978811392
See more responses below.
https://twitter.com/richardrushfield/status/1027251763106086912
All that said, it *could* be funny to watch the Academy dismay the superhero crowd year after year by voting waywardly on the Best Popular Film award.
"And the Oscar goes to… MAMMA MIA: HERE WE GO AGAIN!"
— Guy Lodge (@GuyLodge) August 8, 2018
https://twitter.com/MattGoldberg/status/1027222177593155585
Academy's dropping the ball here. "Least Popular" would be a way funnier category.
— Scott Wampler™ (@ScottWamplerBMD) August 8, 2018
The sad thing about the new 'popular film' Oscar is it becomes a way for the academy to 'acknowledge' the success of big films (i.e. Superheroes) w/o risking the credibility of their prestigious awards. Yo, we're hip, we LOVE Black Panther, however we just won't take it seriously
— Jonathan Burdett (@jburd22) August 8, 2018
It's also astounding that the Academy will seemingly jump through all these hoops and disrespect countless film professionals before they'll consider … starting the Oscars at 6pm?
— Joe Reid (@joereid) August 8, 2018
The sad part is the bold move the Academy made of finally going the Grammy route and deciding that not every award needs to be televised will now be overshadowed by this MTV Award-esque new category that will be made fun of for years to come
— Justin Kroll (@krolljvar) August 8, 2018
Everyone: Can you add a category for stunts ? Stunt actors are extremely underrated and risk their lives to bring us entertainment
The Academy: DID YOU SAY A CATEGORY FOR MOST POPULAR MOVIE ????
— Josh (@AstroCloud_) August 8, 2018
https://twitter.com/reyorganah/status/1027240456982339585
https://twitter.com/greatgerwig/status/1027217784986578944
THE ACADEMY: [airs Oscars that include laborious and incomprehensible "visiting normal people at a movie screening" bit]
THE ACADEMY: Our ceremony is too long because of all the awards— Daniel D'Addario (@DPD_) August 8, 2018
Hey Academy, you’re never winning back the viewers who just watch Marvel movies! Focus on turning out your base! Abandon this “popular film” Oscar and give the real fans what we want… a musical tribute to Olivia de Havilland’s hatred of Joan Fontaine! pic.twitter.com/WbrrPqhI8N
— Chris Schleicher (@cschleichsrun) August 8, 2018
https://twitter.com/MattGoldberg/status/1027222177593155585
https://twitter.com/ira/status/1027232026858930176
Straight guys get multiple channels devoted to sports 24 hours a day, but 4 hours a year was too much for the Oscars? Let me say it again for those in the back: THE ? OSCARS ? SHOULD ? TAKE ? AS ? LONG ? AS ? THE ? WORLD ? CUP ?
— Chris Schleicher (@cschleichsrun) August 8, 2018