There Will Be No Host for The Academy Awards in 2020

For what it's worth, this Oscar season has presented far less controversy than it did last year. By this point, a variety of things felt set to derail the ceremony entirely from problematic movies (Bohemian Rhapsody) to Kevin Hart dropping out of hosting. With that said, it looks like one thing went right. After having a stellar year in 2019, The Academy has decided to continue the trend of hosting the ceremony without any host. Yes, it looks like the days of hosts are gone, at least for Hollywood's favorite award. That can only mean that there's more room for excitement and spontaneity to make up for it. 

Kevin Hart Backs Out of Oscar Hosting, Nobody's Replacing Him, So... What's Going On?

There's of course the old adage that news travels fast. Last week The Academy announced that comedian Kevin Hart was scheduled to host this year's upcoming ceremony. It seemed fair enough, given that Hart was a trendy comedian who could draw in that audience that The Academy was clearly going for. However, the news wasn't even hours old when the tides began to turn and suddenly Hart was out due to homophobic comments, leaving the question as to who is hosting up in the air. In what has become one of the messiest years since the inaugural Oscars So White debacle, there's now comment that The Academy will replace Hart with... no one. It's not something that's really happened all that much (and there's a good chance that this will be old news by publication), though it does exemplify the identity crisis that they currently face: who deserves to be at The Academy Awards? Who deserves to win? In 2018, it seems like that question is about more than just personal conduct.

"Groundhog Day" Cinematographer John Bailey is Officially the New Academy President

John Bailey

As most likely know, this past Oscar season marked one interesting change. After four years, President Cheryl Boone Isaacs would be stepping down. This left plenty of options available as to who would lead The Academy going forward. Considering the struggles of diversity regarding youth, gender, and race; it was a conflict that definitely seemed challenging. However, the answer came after a vote on Tuesday night. While many predicted Laura Dern (who has become more active in Academy-related events), the answer was someone a bit more obscure. Ladies and gentlemen, the new President of the American Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) is... John Bailey!

Here's a Look at the 683 New Members of The Academy

Mark Rylance in Bridge of Spies

It has been awhile since we received any significant Oscar-related news. Of course, that is to be expected following the annual ceremony where one season ends and the cooling off period carries into August and September. However, there is some good news regarding new members. According to President Cheryl Boone Isaacs, there are 683 new members who will be joining this upcoming season. It is a record amount and almost double of last year's hefty total. On top of that, Isaacs' plan to overcome the Oscars So White fiasco by having a more diverse group by 2020 is starting to take effect. Read on to discover how exactly that is as well as the name of each and every new member, plus a few credits to help you pick them out of a line-up.

Edward Norton Gives Advice on How to Fix the Oscars

Edward Norton

It must be pretty good right now to be Edward Norton. For starters, he appeared in two Best Picture nominees from last year (The Grand Budapest Hotel and winner Birdman). He also is fresh off of a Best Supporting Actor nomination for the latter, which is his third overall. Despite all of this, the actor recently made remarks about The Academy that were a little harsh as well as constructive. What he wants is a change to the rules. He doesn't want the awards to be "monetized" as he puts it. So, what exactly is his plan? It's a pretty good one that involves shutting out advertising.

Will the Academy Award "Django Unchained" for its Portrayal of Revisionist History?

Jamie Foxx

One of the longest hold outs of the awards season, director Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained, finally made its premiere at a Directors Guild of America screening on December 1, a little over three weeks until its international release. Speculation has long surrounded the film on if it is worthy of at very least a Best Picture nomination at the Oscars. While there were differing opinions and a standing ovation at the screening, the question remains unanswered. For now, we cannot help but wonder if Tarantino can pull back-to-back nominations, or if he just created another fun film.