Fans react hilariously as the Academy declares ‘Madame Web’ ineligible for Best Picture at the Oscars

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has just made an announcement that has (a few) fans utterly shocked. As the 97th Academy Awards loom, one flick that’s definitely not getting the golden nod for Best Picture is none other than Sony Pictures’ superhero misadventure, Madame Web.

Out of 116 films shown at the Oscars' back door, Madame Web is leading the pack.

Meanwhile, the internet exploded. Social media’s got fans either wailing over the snub of a masterpiece or rolling their eyes at the idea of Madame Web being in the same convo as actual Oscar contenders.

An X (formerly Twitter) user commented:

"Me applying to McDonalds with a Harvard degree."

A user said: "We need Worst Movie Awards for this and Kraven 😭."

Another user humorously added: "Like we ain’t already know…"

A comment read: "Did they think they had a chance in the first place 😭"

A user stated "It's not?" and proceeded to add an image that read "pretends to be shocked".

"Let's be honest, even the actors who played their roles in it would agree with that lol", a user mentioned.

Meanwhile, a user said: "I for one am flabbergasted."

On the other hand, a user mentioned: "I don’t think that will be an issue."

"Oh well, better luck next time... If there is a next time!", yet another user said.

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Madame Web (not) at the Oscars

So, what’s the deal with Madame Web getting ghosted from the Best Picture race? It’s all about the Academy’s new RAISE criteria—that’s Representation and Inclusion Standards for Excellence for those not keeping up.

These new rules are the Oscars' way of saying, maybe don’t just cast the same five people and call it a day. But apparently, Madame Web missed the memo.

While the Academy hasn’t dropped the deets on exactly how it failed, the word on the street is that the film didn’t hit the diversity benchmarks. To qualify, movies need to show some serious commitment to inclusive casting and crew roles.

And oh, this so-called "masterpiece" earned 12% on Rotten Tomatoes: no, that isn't a typo. With a worldwide haul of $100.3 million, one might say – with all courtesy – that the figures from the box-office performance of this film were underwhelming.

Beyond diversity, the Academy’s got other hoops to jump through—theatrical release requirements.

To even get a foot in the door for Best Picture, a movie's gotta premiere in a major U.S. city and stay put for at least seven days. Plus, it’s gotta clock in over 40 minutes. Madame Web, however, managed to tick these boxes.

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The Oscar nomination game

This year, the Academy’s been dishing out disqualifications stating “You’re not eligible! And you’re also not eligible!”

Out of 323 feature films, 116 didn’t make the cut for Best Picture. Superhero films like Madame Web seem to be the biggest casualties, caught in the crossfire of these new inclusion standards.

For those taking notes, here’s the playbook for Best Picture eligibility:

1. Theatrical Release: Films must have a seven-day run in at least one of six major U.S. cities between January 1, 2024, and December 31, 2024.
2. RAISE Criteria: Hit at least two out of four standards focused on diversity in on-screen representation, creative leadership, industry access, and audience development.

So, is Madame Web a victim of the Academy’s new agenda, or was it just never Oscar material to begin with? That’s for you to decide.