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The 2022 Oscar Awards will include a prize for the new “fan favourite” category given to the most popular film voted for by Twitter users.
Revealing this update on Monday, the show’s organizers noted that this was an attempt to lure viewers to the ceremony as they have seen audiences plummet.
The prize winner set to be announced during the 94th Academy Awards telecast on March 27 comes after several fan-favourite films “Spider-Man: No Way Home” and “No Time To Die” failed to earn Oscar nominations in major categories, including best picture.
The omission of these films raised fears that many fans would skip the show.
However, using the #OscarsFanFavorite on Twitter or the Academy’s website, fans can now vote for their favourite 2021 releases in the new category.
In the last few years, the Oscars TV ratings have dropped.
Last year’s show watched by over 10 million viewers saw a 56% decline from 2020 as it honoured mainly smaller, arthouse movies such as best picture winner Nomadland.
As the award show’s viewers have drifted from mainstream fare, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has tried out different reforms to boost the ceremony’s popularity.
Back in 2018, the Academy also proposed a “popular film” Oscar in honour of blockbuster movies like Star War films or Marvel superhero films that rake in millions at the box office.
However, these plans were shelved following ridiculed by critics. Hence,the new “fan favourite” award will not be a formal Oscar category.Â
