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| Star Wars: The Last Jedi topped the box office but was largely ignored by the Academy |
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today revealed that it has decided to create a new category at the Oscars. Outstanding Achievement in Popular film will aim to provide due recognition to those blockbusters loved by the public which never seem to be nominated for anything outside the technical categories.
This year's Oscars saw big audience cheers when the cast of Star Wars: The Last Jedi took to the stage as presenters, and the cast of Black Panther were among the most warmly welcomed on the red carpet, yet there was little expectation that either film would be considered for major awards. This is believed to be part of the reason why an increasing number of film fans consider the Oscars irrelevant, something that has worried the Academy.
It is not yet clear how the new category will be defined or exactly when it will be launched. The Academy already intends to make changes to next year's event, including making the ceremony shorter, but as voters have to consider the whole year's films before making their choice, it may be decided that it's unfair to popular films released between March and today to begin voting on it next year.
