Streamed films will be eligible for Oscars for first time in 2021 due to coronavirus

The organizers of the Oscars said on Tuesday that films released only on streaming platforms would be eligible for Academy Awards next year because of the disruptions to the industry caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The change, announced in a statement by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, follows the closure of movie theatres across the United States.

Previously, a movie had to have been screened in a movie theatre in Los Angeles for at least seven days in order to be eligible for Oscar consideration.