WARNING

DOJ Tells Academy Potential Oscar Rule Changes Could Violate Law: Report

Head of the DOJ’s antitrust division said new eligibility rules regarding films on streaming services could “raise antitrust concerns.”

The Justice Department reportedly sent a letter to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences warning that potential rule changes regarding the Oscars eligibility of films on Netflix and other streaming services could raise “antitrust concerns and violate competition law.” According to Variety, the head of the DOJ’s Antitrust Division—Makan Delrahim—wrote to the Academy’s CEO in late March that rules regarding new “eligibility requirements” for the Oscars could “eliminate competition without procompetitive justification” and “such conduct may raise antitrust concerns.” Delrahim also reportedly wrote that if the Academy proceeded in enforcing a new rule that would “exclude certain types of films, such as films distributed via online streaming services” from Oscars eligibility, such a rule could “diminish the excluded films’ sales” and violate federal law.

An Academy spokesperson reportedly confirmed receiving the letter and said they have “responded accordingly.” This comes after director and Academy board member Stephen Spielberg is reportedly pushing for new rules placing restrictions on streaming platform films from Oscars consideration.

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