We’ve made our suggestions for what Oscars the Academy could introduce to the awards show next, but while it won’t be an Oscar, AMPAS is introducing something to recognize the places that make the movies possible: movie theaters.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Monday, June 1 it would be launching what it calls the Academy Marquee Theater List, in which a committee of Academy members will vote on the 50 best movie theaters in the world. The list will be an annual recognition of the 25 best U.S. theaters and 25 best international theaters, voted on by a committee of Academy members across all branches and then approved by the Academy’s Board of Governors. Think of it as a Michelin list recognizing the best of the best in cinemas, preferably with no sticky floors.
The Marquee Theater List is in honor of the Academy’s upcoming 100th anniversary, kicking off next year. Theaters need to be brick-and-mortar theaters that operate year-round and can be located anywhere in the world. Theaters may show first-run films or repertory screenings, and AMPAS is asking theaters to submit applications for consideration (for a fee) based on the following criteria:
- Community engagement
- Visual and audio presentation
- Programming
- Diversity, inclusion, and accessibility
- Historic significance and preservation
- Theater design, lighting, and conditions
- Concessions
An individual with knowledge of the program clarified that any Academy member with a vested interest in theaters is ineligible to serve on the selection committee. We’re looking at you, Jason Reitman, but turns out Reitman, who himself is a governor, shared the idea with the Board. A maximum of 10 theaters operated by the same theater chain or owner may be submitted in a single submission cycle.
“We are thrilled to launch the Academy Marquee Theater List, which will celebrate moviegoing and honor theaters that bring communities together through the power of cinematic storytelling,” said Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy president Lynette Howell Taylor. “From classic movie palaces, to multiplexes, to independent cinemas, the Academy Marquee Theater List will recognize the best movie theaters around the world and unite our global film industry. We are deeply grateful to Governor Jason Reitman for sharing the idea for this program and to the entire Board of Governors for their guidance and support in launching this initiative.”
The application is available now, with a deadline of Tuesday, August 25, 2026, at 5 p.m. PT.
