Oscars pushed back two months due to coronavirus outbreak

Next year's Oscars ceremony has been pushed back by two months to April 25 after the coronavirus pandemic wreaked havoc on Hollywood's release calendar.

"For over a century, movies have played an important role in comforting, inspiring, and entertaining us during the darkest of times. They certainly have this year," academy President David Rubin and CEO Dawn Hudson said in a statement.

This will also extend the eligibility window beyond December 31 this year to February 28 of the next. 

"Our hope... is to provide the flexibility filmmakers need to finish and release their films without being penalized for something beyond anyone's control," he added.

Meanwhile, the British Academy Film Awards (Baftas) has also been shifted its date to April 11.