Oscars 2027: the rules change to adapt to a changing industry

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is reshuffling the cards with two major shifts: an in-depth overhaul of the best international film award and much stricter supervision of artificial intelligence. We detail the new regulations.

As the centennial of the Oscars approaches, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is seriously dusting off its rules. Objective: adapt to an industry in the midst of a revolution, between globalization, increasingly refined campaign strategies and the entry of AI. Deciphering these far from trivial changes.

Best Actors: no more absurd strategic choices

This is THE revolution: from now on, the same actor or actress can be nominated several times in the same category (best actor or supporting role), if their performances in two different films (or more) are among the five most voted for. Until now, impossible: if two roles by the same actor entered the top 5, only the highest ranked survived. Result: sometimes twisted strategies, where the studios “downgraded” a main role to a supporting role to avoid competing with each other.

Case study: Kate Winslet in 2008 campaigned as a leading actress for The Rebel Wedding and in supporting role for The Reader. But in the end, she is only named for The Reader and wins the trophy. With the new rule, this kind of gymnastics becomes unnecessary. Actors like Paul Mescal, Sebastian Stan, Leonardo DiCaprio or Jessica Chastain could clearly have benefited from this system in the past.

AI: the Academy tightens the screw

Another big project: artificial intelligence. The rules are now clear:

An acting performance must be actually performed by a human, with their consent
Scenarios must be written by humans
The Academy may demand details on the use of AI in a film

Basically, the message is clear: for the moment, no Oscar for a creation generated by AI. These details come in a tense context, particularly after the controversial use of Val Kilmer’s image in the film As Deep as the Grave.

The rules are officially set for the 99th Oscars season. 🏆

Learn more: https://t.co/HfpRabQjht pic.twitter.com/En8pxsrPVA

— The Academy (@TheAcademy) May 1, 2026

Best International Film: The “Anatomy of a Fall” Rule

This is the other huge development.

From now on :

Several films from the same country can be nominated
And a film can qualify without being chosen by its country, if it wins a grand prize at a festival

The festivals concerned: Cannes Film Festival (Palme d’Or), Venice Film Festival (Golden Lion), Berlin International Film Festival (Golden Bear), Sundance Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, Busan International Film Festival.

This development corrects a well-known absurdity, illustrated by Anatomy of a fall by Justine Triet: Palme d’or… but not selected by France for the Oscars. The film still won 5 nominations and a statuette in 2024. From now on, a film rejected by its country would have a real second chance to be among the nominees. In 2024, the Academy could thus have chosen The Passion of Dodin Bouffantchosen by the French jury, and Anatomy of a fallwinner at Cannes. And two French feature films could thus have been in the running in the Best International Film category.

Another change: it is no longer the country that is named, but the film itself, with the director as the official representative. So, if A Simple Accident had won the trophy this year, it is not France which would have been officially crowned but Jafar Panahi.

More statuettes, more control

Several adjustments refine the machine:

Casting: up to 3 statuettes (instead of 2)
Image: a fixed shortlist of 20 films
Visual effects: obligation to see the demos before/after to vote
Makeup: attendance required at meetings to be a voter
Original song: stricter rules on submitted samples

Even promotional screenings are evolving, with more moderators authorized and accessibility obligations.

Behind these changes, the Academy is drawing a new line for the coming years, while the industry has changed a lot in a century: more consistency in nominations, greater international openness, a strict framework in the face of AI and a fairer system for films forgotten by their country. In short, the Oscars are entering their era.

See you on March 14, 2027 for the 99th ceremony… before the symbolic milestone of 100 years in 2028.