2021 Oscars delayed by two months

The Oscars would take place on April 25 next year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Monday. The Academy also extended the deadline for Oscars eligibility from December 31 to February 28, after many filmmakers feared their movies would not be finished in time due to the prolonged production shutdown.

Movie theaters worldwide have been closed since mid-March and film production has all but grinded to a halt. Christopher Nolan's thriller "Tenet," scheduled for a July 17 release, has already been pushed back by two weeks. And many film industry observers expect Disney's "Mulan," also scheduled for a July release, will be delayed as well. Dozens of other releases have been shifted to next year or even later. But Hollywood hopes the big movie theater chains will reopen in the U.S. late next month. The Oscars' new date is also expected to prompt the Golden Globes and other awards shows to consider rescheduling their events.