The Academy sticks with March for Oscar night

Contrary to the Academy's pre-pandemic intention with Parasite's big night being the earliest Oscars of all time* (February 9th, 2020), Hollywood's High Holy Night has settled back into March as its sweet spot, when the bulk of ceremonies have been held throughout history. Forty-nine of the ninety-five ceremonies to date, or roughly 52% of them, have been held in March. In short, AMPAS is no longer trying to progressively shorten the season as had been their pre-COVID plan.

The 96th Oscars will be held on March 10th, 2024 to be exact. The press release and a bit more Oscar history are after the jump... 

LOS ANGELES, CA – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and ABC today announced the 96th Oscars® will take place on Sunday, March 10, 2024.  The show will air live on ABC and in more than 200 territories worldwide from the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood.

Academy key dates for the 2023 Oscar® season are as follows: 

General entry categories submission deadline          Governors Awards                                                      Preliminary voting begins 9 a.m. PT                          Preliminary voting ends 5 p.m. PT                             Oscar Shortlists Announcement                                 Eligibility period ends                                                  Nominations voting begins 9 a.m. PT                        Nominations voting ends 5 p.m. PT                           Oscar Nominations Announcement                            Oscar Nominees Luncheon                                        Finals voting begins 9 a.m. PT                                   Scientific and Technical Awards                                Finals voting ends 5 p.m. PT                                      96th Oscars

Wednesday, November 15, 2023 Saturday, November 18, 2023 Thursday, December 14, 2023 Monday, December 18, 2023 Thursday, December 21, 2023 Sunday, December 31, 2023 Thursday, January 11, 2024 Tuesday, January 16, 2024 Tuesday, January 23, 2024 Monday, February 12, 2024 Thursday, February 22, 2024 Friday, February 23, 2024 Tuesday, February 27, 2024 Sunday, March 10, 2024

All dates for the 96th Academy Awards® are subject to change.

In short this is extremely similar dates to last season. The shortlists, in fact, are announced on the very same date as they were in 2022 (December 21st) and the nominations (January 23rd) are announced just one day earlier.

So it's 274 days until nominations and 321 days until the big night. Excited yet or do you need several more months to recover from last month?

As for March 10th, the date of next year's ceremony, only one previous Oscar ceremony has been held on that date. It was the 10th annual Academy Awards honoring the films of 1937. Biopic snoozer The Life of Emile Zola took the top prize on March 10th, 1938, while the previous year's best film (that'd be screwball classic The Awful Truth) had to settle for Best Director. We've talked about that year a few times, most notably in the Supporting Actress Smackdown. 

* about that "earliest" Oscars comment
The first few years of the Oscars don't count in this statistic as they didn't settle into a regular calendar year eligibility system until the 7th Academy Awards so sometimes the ceremony was held in what would now be shocking months like May or November. The only months that the Oscars have never been held in are January, June, July, August, September, October, and December. 

Comments

[Alex Hartsell]

Can't wait for the 96th Academy Awards and Nathaniel when will you be putting your 96th Academy Awards nomination predications April Fools edition on the website or your 96th Academy Awards nomination predications will be up during the 2023 Cannes Film Festival?

[Mr Ripley79]

Whatever date i'll be watching,it was very satisfying this year the Oscars were on SkyTv's free service SkyArts.

In your April Fools predix will you please do a Melissa Leo and consider Bening and Foster for Nyad I have higher than high hopes for it.

[Mike in Canada]

My sense is that the long lag has helped, the last couple of years, for established favorites to fade and make room for new contenders to build momentum for better (Yeoh & Curiis) and worse (CODA).

I also wonder if it hurts or helps movie theaters - there's no way most nominees are in theaters by the time they become winners - or even nominees.

[Tony L]

Fyc for your April foolish predictions - Jessica Lange for Long Day’s Journey Into Night

[Edwin]

There’s been at least one Cannes premiere in the Best Picture lineup every year since Parasite’s win (with the obvious exception of when there was no Cannes Film Festival in 2020), so I’m wondering if that trend will continue. The Academy has only ever really embraced one Wes Anderson film, but I have an odd feeling that Asteroid City could be the second.

[NATHANIEL R]

Edwin -- it woud be fun to see them more regularly embracing comedy!

[Peggy Sue]

I'm sorry if pundits get bored but long seasons gave us Frances, Anthony and Jamie Lee so yes, please, thank you.

[Peter Bately]

The Academy's decision to stick with March for Oscar night ensures character and tradition, maintaining this prestigious event's excitement and expectation.
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