What is the 2026-27 Awards Season Calendar for TV and Movies?
Awards season is a very important part of the film industry. It helps give actors and directors careers, brings audiences to movies and television programs, and decides which shows and movies are the year's talking points. Studios, production companies, streaming platforms, and talent agents all spend millions of dollars during awards season in hopes of nominations and wins. Winning a major award can increase box-office receipts and streaming numbers, expand international distribution options, and benefit long-term career prospects. There have been many memorable moments at award shows in recent years.
Recently, the awards race has become increasingly competitive. In addition to traditional Hollywood studios, streaming giants like Netflix, Amazon, Apple TV+, and Disney+ are competing alongside traditional networks. Likewise, international productions receive more notice than ever before. According to reports of the effect of awards, award-winning films tend to experience large increases in ticket sales and streams after receiving nominations and awards, just as award-winning television programs gain more viewers and attention.
For the 2026-2027 award season, these patterns will likely continue. Film festivals, critics' awards, guilds, and televised ceremonies continue to remain milestones in Hollywood's yearlong race for awards. The sequence of events starts at film festivals, then moves on to critics and guilds, and ends with the Academy Awards. The following Awards Season Calendar provides a timeline of major awards ceremonies, nominated films and television programs, and significant industry events expected during the awards season.
August 2026
Venice International Film Festival
Many studios premiere high-profile prestige films here and use the festival as a launch pad for awards considerations, leading into fall season events.
Telluride Film Festival
The Telluride Festival tends to launch movies that go on to become awards favorites. Industry insiders closely watch this festival, as early indicators and word of mouth are major factors.
September 2026
Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF)
One of the most reliable predictors of future Oscar winners. Many of the Best Picture favorites usually screen at TIFF, and the audience and critics' reception of these films is widely considered very important in determining future awards.
Primetime Emmy Awards
The most important television awards ceremony of the season honors the best in broadcast, cable, and streaming series.
October 2026
New York Film Festival
Another major event for screening prestigious films that studios wish to submit for consideration during awards season.
Gotham Awards Nominations
Many consider these awards an indicator of the strength of individual films on the awards circuit in independent categories, often among the first announcements of nominated works.
November 2026
Governors Awards
The Academy honors artists, actors, and industry professionals with lifetime achievement and honorary awards for their contributions to the cinematic arts.
Critics Group Awards Begin
Regional and national film critics' organizations begin to announce their awards. These ceremonies serve as early benchmarks for momentum in the race.
December 2026
Golden Globe Nominations
One of the earliest major announcements. The nominated works serve as a catalyst for later awards efforts and can influence studio and individual strategies.
Critics Choice Awards Nominations
Honors many of the same categories as the Academy Awards, but with differences based on voting from the critics. The nominations reflect what the largest group of critics considers to be outstanding achievements of the year.
AFI Awards
The American Film Institute honors outstanding achievements in film and television programs.
January 2027
Golden Globe Awards
The first major televised awards ceremony, the Golden Globes, is considered by many to be the start of the mainstream awards show season. The results can often build momentum.
Screen Actors Guild Award Nominations
The actors' union recognizes outstanding performances by fellow actors, giving a valuable perspective from the industry.
Producers Guild Award Nominations
The Producers Guild Awards are considered to be very indicative of future Oscar winners in the Best Picture category, as producers are very often the backbone of an award-winning project.
Directors Guild Award Nominations
Recognizes outstanding directorial achievement throughout the year. Many directors who win this award frequently go on to win the Best Director Oscar.
February 2027
Critics Choice Awards
Honors many of the same categories as the Academy Awards but with differences based on voting from the critics. The nominated works reflect what the largest group of critics considers to be outstanding achievements of the year.
Producers Guild Awards
A very important awards ceremony because a win here often predicts who will win Best Picture at the Academy Awards.
Directors Guild Awards
Historically, this award has been one of the strongest predictors for the Best Director category at the Oscars.
Screen Actors Guild Awards
Actors, many of whom are also Academy voters, honor their peers at the Screen Actors Guild Awards before Oscar voting concludes.
Writers Guild Awards
Honors outstanding achievements in screenwriting.
March 2027
Academy Awards Nominees Luncheon
An event where all the nominated artists come together prior to Hollywood's most prestigious ceremony.
- Academy Awards
The climax of the entire awards season, the Oscars honor outstanding film achievements, giving awards to actors, writers, directors, and many technical categories.
April 2027
Television Academy FYC Season Begins
As the current award season draws to a close, networks and streamers launch marketing campaigns to promote shows and films for consideration at next year's Emmy Awards.
Awards Campaign Reset
The entire awards season is put on pause until the cycle begins anew, with studios beginning to make their cases for potential award-winning works.
Looking ahead to the 2026–27 awards season, several developments are expected to shape the competitive landscape across film and television. Streaming platforms are likely to maintain their strong influence, continuing to secure prominent nominations and wins across major categories. At the same time, the growing recognition of international productions reflects the industry's increasing global outlook, with non-English-language films earning greater visibility and acclaim. Independent cinema is also expected to remain a vital force, driven by critical success at film festivals and award circuits that celebrate artistic innovation beyond mainstream studio releases. Additionally, ongoing conversations surrounding artificial intelligence and emerging technologies in filmmaking may become a defining theme of the season, influencing industry standards, creative practices, and discussions around award eligibility.
This content was created by AI