Andrea GonzalesAfter announcing in early August the 91st Oscars would be adding a best 'popular' film category, the Academy has changed its mind.
The reason — according to a press release: "The Academy recognized that implementing any new award nine months into the year creates challenges for films that have already been released." The statement also said the Academy will continue to "examine and seek additional input regarding this category."
One thing the statement doesn't mention is the amount of criticism the original announcement got from people across the film industry.
Actor Rob Lowe tweeted, "The film business passed away today with the announcement of the 'popular' film Oscar. It had been in poor health for a number of years."
The move was seen as an attempt to try to bring in more viewers. CNN reports last year's program hit a record low in ratings with just 26.5 million viewers, a drop of 20% from the year before.
Additional reporting from Newsy affiliate CNN.
