Spider-Man: No Way Home has been blocked from getting any BAFTA nominations after producers refused to allow the film to be placed on a streaming site used by judges.
Safety alert: There are no spoilers for Spider-Man: No Way Home in this article.
Despite the impact of COVID, the film has swung its way into the top 10 highest grossing films of all time after fans flocked to cinemas to see Tom Holland’s latest outing as the Marvel hero.
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No Way Home had the third-biggest opening weekend of any film ever when it hit cinemas globally last month, with only Avengers films Infinity War and Endgame beating it – both of which also star Tom Holland as Spider-Man.
The film was also liked by critics, but it may struggle when it comes to award season, with BAFTA blocking it from being nominated for any trophies.
The awards are influential in the industry, often acting as a pre-cursor to the Oscars just two weeks later in predicting the winning films.
BAFTA has told its thousands of voting members that the film has failed to meet the eligibility criteria – namely that it has to be uploaded to the academy’s private streaming site before the first round of voting closes.
Sony’s refusal to allow the film to be uploaded to BAFTA’s platform was reportedly due to piracy issues.
BAFTA told Sky News in a statement: “Spider-Man: No Way Home did not meet the eligibility criteria for the EE British Academy Film Awards 2022 and therefore did not qualify for entry.
“As outlined in our rulebook, all films must be made available to voting members on BAFTA View prior to Round One voting closing to ensure fairness and parity for all titles and the film was not made available by the distributor.”
Sky News has approached Sony, the film’s production company, for comment.
Could Tom Holland host the Oscars?
However, there could be some better news for the film’s prospects when it comes to events across the Atlantic, with Holland apparently lined-up to host the Oscars this year.
That’s according to The Hollywood Reporter, as part of a drive to get Spider-Man into the big categories.
Holland, who recently told Sky News he was considering giving up acting, would be the first host of Hollywood’s flagship awards ceremony in three years, with producers deciding to end the experiment of removing sole presenters from the show.
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The 25-year-old south-west Londoner has said in the past he would be up for hosting the event at some point, previously telling The Hollywood Reporter: “Of course I would host the f****** Oscars!
“So yeah, if they ask me to, I would, and it would be very fun. I would really enjoy it.”
Only one superhero film has ever been nominated in the best picture category at the Oscars (Marvel’s 2018 film Black Panther), but the success of No Way Home could force the judges’ hands.
Spider-Man: No Way Home is out now in cinemas.