Academy Awards Widening Best Picture Race To 10 Films

Sick of trying to decide which of the five Best Picture nominees will win in your Oscar pool? Well, now you’ll get to decide between ten! Yes, in a move to attract more ratings, the Academy is widening the race.

The Oscar best picture race has been dominated by tiny, often indie, films that not very many people see, i.e. The Reader. Widening the field could mean that they won’t necessarily be the only ones competing for the top prize, and the studios and their big-budget “prestige” titles can finally play in the pool again. Ten nominees means more competition, which could net some eyeballs curious to see how the crazy It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World-style race ends up.

For example, had their been ten Best Picture nominees last year, The Dark Knight would surely have been among them, which would likely have brought in some curious fanboys. And if the studios have doubled chances of doing a blitz awards-tie-in marketing, then that’s even better. More money for everyone means nicer, bigger parties and then everyone wins!

We think it’s a fine idea, as more competition is more fun. Though we’ll have to suffer through twice as many set-up clips, it ought to make the long, long, long evening slog to the final dance all the more put-up-withable. Because now TEN enter and only one leaves. Lots more carnage.

[Oscars.org]