The Marquee Academy Theater List will highlight theaters that provide exceptional audience experiences, preserve cinematic history and serve as a cultural anchor in their communities. The initial list will include 50 theaters, 25 from the United States and 25 from abroad.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will honor distinguished movie theaters beginning in the spring of 2027, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of the academy’s founding, the organization announced Monday.
The Marquee Academy Theater List will highlight theaters that provide exceptional audience experiences, preserve cinematic history and serve as a cultural anchor in their communities. The initial list will include 50 theaters, 25 from the United States and 25 from abroad.
Movie theaters will become eligible via application. A committee of Academy members composed of members from various branches of the organization—but with no particular interest in the theaters—will select the best, which will then be submitted for approval to the Academy’s Board of Governors.
“We are thrilled to launch the Marche Academy Theater List, which will celebrate going to the movies and honor theaters that bring communities together through the power of cinematic storytelling,” Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Lynette Howell Taylor said in a statement. “From classic cinema palaces, to multiplexes, to independent cinemas, the Académie Marche Theater List will recognize the best cinemas around the world and unite our global film industry. We are extremely grateful to [directors branch] 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.
To be eligible for the list, movie theaters must be brick-and-mortar theaters operating year-round. They may show first-run films or repertory shows. Evaluation criteria for cinemas include the following factors:
- Community participation
- Visual and audio presentation
- programming
- Diversity, inclusion and accessibility
- Historical significance and preservation
- Stage design, lighting and conditions
- Concessions
Selected cinemas will be displayed on the Academy’s digital platforms, including its website and social media channels, and will receive a physical certificate to display in the lobbies of these halls.
Up to 10 theaters operated by the same theater chain or owner can be submitted in one submission cycle. The application is open now, with a deadline of Tuesday, August 25, 2026 at 5 PM PT. There is a fee for each application, with a staggered application schedule:
Monday, June 1 – Tuesday, June 30
Early bird: $250
Wednesday, July 1 – Friday, July 3
Regular: $350
Saturday, August 1 – Tuesday, August 25
Late: United States, $450
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