Academy Postponing New Popular Oscar Category

Jimmy Kimmel
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The hotly debated category is being put on hold, pending "further discussion."

The 2019 Oscars are recalibrating the proposed changes for 2019.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Thursday that the Feb 4, 2019 ceremony will no longer include the outstanding achievement in popular film category. 

After a meeting of The Board of Governors on Tuesday, it was determined that "implementing any new award nine months into the year creates challenges for films that have already been released."

That doesn't mean the new category is gone for good though. The Academy didn't have a specific timeline for when or how it will be put in place, but they planned to take a deeper look into the concerns raised by fans and Oscar voters.

"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," Academy CEO Dawn Hudson said in a press release. "We have made changes to the Oscars over the years--including this year--and we will continue to evolve while also respecting the incredible legacy of the last 90 years."

Previously announced changes to the ceremony remain in place. The telecast will still limit its runtime to three hours or less, with select categories to be presented during commercial breaks, and edited versions of those awards being given out airing later in the broadcast. The airdate for the 2020 Oscars also remains in its earlier slot, having moved from Feb. 23 to Feb 9.

The nominations for next year's ceremony will be announced on Jan. 22. In the meantime, take a look back at last year's ceremony:

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