The 2021 Oscars have been postponed two months, due to the uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus pandemic. Originally set to air on February 28th, the awards ceremony will now take place on April 25th, 2021. Additionally, the Academy has extended the eligibility period for nominated films by two months. The window for qualifying films now spans from January 1st 2020 to February 28th, 2021, with a general submission deadline set for January 15th 2021. The Academy plans to return to a standard January to December eligibility period next year. The Academy made substantial, unprecedented adjustments to the eligibility rules this past April in response to the outbreak. One of those allows for digital screenings, altering the long-standing requirement that films needed to be screened physically for at least one week in a Los Angeles-area theater in order to qualify.