Oscars delayed by two months to April due to COVID-19 pandemic

Oscars statuettes on display backstage during the 92nd Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California, on February 9, 2020.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Monday that the 93rd Oscars ceremony, scheduled to be held on February 28, 2021, will move to April 25 "as a result of the global pandemic caused by COVID-19."

The ceremony for film's highest honors will take place on April 25, 2021, the academy said in a statement.

"For over a century, movies have played an important role in comforting, inspiring, and entertaining us during the darkest of times. They certainly have this year," said David Rubin, the academy president, and Dawn Hudson, the academy chief executive in a joint statement.

"Our hope, in extending the eligibility period and our Awards date, is to provide the flexibility filmmakers need to finish and release their films without being penalized for something beyond anyone's control," they said.

A person uses a phone to take a picture of an Oscars statue at the 86th Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, March 2, 2014. /VCG

The COVID-19 pandemic shut down movie theaters worldwide in mid-March and brought film production to a halt.

The academy also extended the deadline by which movies must be released to be eligible for an Oscar nomination from December 31 to February 28, 2021.

'To ultimately return to awarding excellence for films'

The production shutdown meant that many filmmakers feared their movies would not be finished by the usual year-end Oscar eligibility deadline. Dozens of other movie releases have been moved to 2021.

Jennifer Lawrence, best supporting actress nominee for her role in the film "American Hustle", peeks around an Oscar statue on the red carpet as actor Brad Pitt (L) looks on at the 86th Academy Awards, March 2, 2014. /VCG

"The intent going forward is to ultimately return to awarding excellence for films released in the January-December calendar year. Future eligibility windows and the Oscar show date for 2022 will be announced at a later date," the Monday statement read.

The new date for the Oscars is expected to prompt the Golden Globes and other award shows to also reschedule their events.

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) on Monday said it was shifting its film awards ceremony to April 11 from February 14.

More production expected to resume

Hollywood movies were last week given the green light to resume production in the Los Angeles area with detailed guidelines on social distancing and frequent testing. However, most are not expected to resume until September.

Hollywood hopes the big movie theater chains will reopen by late July, when thriller "Tenet" and "Mulan" are due to be released.

Workers wheel an Oscars statue as preparations continue for the 91st Academy Awards in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, U.S., February 21, 2019. /VCG

"We find ourselves in uncharted territory this year and will continue to work with our partners at the Academy to ensure next year's show is a safe and celebratory event," said Karey Burke, president of ABC Entertainment.

It was only the fourth time in the 93-year history of the Academy Awards that the date has been changed.

The Oscars was first delayed in 1938 after massive flooding in Los Angeles. In 1968, it was put on hold after the assassination of Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. and again in 1981 following the attempted assassination of then-President Ronald Reagan.

(With input from Reuters)