The Best Visual Effects category was introduced to the Oscars in 1984 and since then only three films have competed for the award. Finally, after 26 years, the executive committee of the Motion Picture Academy’s Visual Effects branch has voted to expand the number of nominees in the category to five.

The change is long overdue as most films these days, including some that will not be remembered for their special effects, use CGI to enhance the visual credibility of the film. Of course, the nominations in the Visual Effects category will only go to films that heavily feature and showcase CGI at its best. Blockbuster films that do not normally gain recognition from the Academy will now have a greater chance in being nominated.

Variety has noted, however, that this change hasn’t been given the green light just yet:

“The change must be now approved by the Acad’s Awards Rules Committee and then by the Board of Governors. Both bodies usually defer to the branches on such matters, but changes of this scale are unusual, and approval is not automatic.

If approved, there would be five vfx nominees for the next Oscar ceremony.”

There also seems to be some debate over whether a change like this would decrease the value of the award. Currently there are four Visual Effects artists from each film nominated with a total of twelve people for the category. Should the expansion of five nominated films occur there would be twenty nominated individuals in the category.

This debate seems rather trivial considering that the extra nominations bring about a more competitive category that will still end in a result of four people and one film taking home the Oscar for Best Visual Effects.

Do you agree that the Oscars’ Best Visual Effects category should have five nominees?