It does not come as a surprise.

In a key procedural shift, Academy members are now required to view all nominated films within a category to be eligible to vote in the final round. While it’s surprising this wasn’t already a formal requirement, questions remain about how the Academy plans to verify compliance and enforce the rule.

Oscars 2026 Key Dates, Rules for Casting, Cinematography and AI

That is a little secret not only with the Oscar but pretty much all awards: nobody actually sits down to watch/read/listen to the nominees. Back when I was a student on my way to be a recording engineer, one of my teachers (a Grammy winner himself) confessed that the whole award business was mostly BS and that they simply did not have time to sit down and listen to an album or a song, especially in categories that they did not like or care about. Other than maybe Producer of the Year or Album of the year (if such album had an interest for them or a friend/associate) they would let the secretaries and staff fill the rest ballot and send it back.

And the Oscars have been formulaic for many years. In the early days of AOL and other chat resources, I used to “predict” oscar winners without actually having watched the movies and I want to say I was about 70% accurate. In the late 80s and 90s, if the movie was about somebody having a disability, it would get nominated and win and the actor would probably get Best Actor. Tales of woe were the sure-fire ticket for the golden statuette which is why I usually called best female actress the Mery Streep award on account of all the movies she made where crying was non-stop.

How will this new rule be enforced? It won’t. The same influence peddling and ignorance of what was nominated will keep happening. The Osacers (and other awards) is supposed to be run by the honor system in a business where honor is an insult and anathema to the lifestyle.