It’s been a tough few years for The Academy, as last year’s Oscars were watched by the fewest amount of people on record. Ratings plunged to historic new lows when only 10.4 million people tuned into 2021’s show. The year prior had 23.6 million viewers watch the awards ceremony, equating to a staggering 56% drop. In response to this dwindling fanbase, there is a new category coming in for 2022 that will promote audience engagement and open the door to the widest selection of films Oscars’ history. But the internet has already hijacked it in classic fashion.
The first-time-ever contest lets participants vote 20 times a day on Twitter or on its official website. It allows movie lovers and general social media users to give their favourite film of the year a genuine shot at taking home a big prize.
This is essentially a parallel Best Picture race, one that will work alongside the traditional category that is voted upon by invited industry insiders.
This isn’t the first time The Academy has tried something like this, as they attempted to create a Popular Movie Oscar category back in 2018. There was almost immediately and universal backlash over the idea.
Dawn Hudson, the academy’s chief executive, said in a statement: “There has been a wide range of reactions to the introduction of a new award, and we recognize the need for further discussion with our members.”
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The thought of giving an Oscar to a comic-book movie or schlocky crowd-pleaser may still revolt some Academy members today, but the new poll is already well underway on Twitter. #OscarsFanFavorite is pouring in on the social media site, with audiences suggesting any number of 2021 hits to take home the ultimate prize.
In a move that won’t be surprising to anyone with an ounce of internet history knowledge, the poll has been hijacked by users that have an agenda to ensure their favourite film wins.
Zack Snyder’s Justice League, the re-edit of the critically slated Justice League from 2017, has been unsurprisingly getting a lot of votes, according to Deadline. #RestoreTheSnyderVerse and #ReleaseTheSnyderCut were popular trends on social media over the past couple of years. It seemingly worked too, as the 2021 re-release dropped to fan relief.
Spider-Man: No Way Home is also near the top and after its $1.8 billion box office, it should come as little surprise.
However, shockingly Amazon Prime’s Cinderella is ranking number one at the moment. Starring Camila Cabello as the titular character, the movie had been previously regarded as a complete clunker.
Turning to Rotten Tomatoes, the film was inundated with shocking reviews that derided the film. One wrote: “Cinderella looked terrible on paper and sadly is terrible in its execution not even being so bad it is fun.”
Another added: “Throw in some dodgy editing choices, clunky dialogue, and wedged in songs that don’t fit, and the whole thing falls flat.” Allen Adams said: “Perhaps the most damning thing regarding “Cinderella” is how fundamentally unnecessary it feels…But at least it has a happy ending, in that you might well be glad when it’s over.”
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The chaotic fan choices don’t end there, with Johnny Depp’s Minamata also pulling out near the top. One fan tweeted: “Let’s do it for Johnny,” while the director, Andrew Levitas, even tweeted out #OscarsFanFavorite.
Speaking to Deadline, one voter said: “I’m trying to think of a dumber move the Academy has made. Sure, there are thousands, but quite possibly this could be it.”
Whichever film ultimately wins this new Oscar, they sadly won’t be presented with a physical prize. There is no golden statue for the winner, but they will be secured in the knowledge that fans at home loved their film, or at least thought it would be funny if it won.
