Currently, the usual busy and exciting first week of the year in Hollywood has been significantly quieted due to a combination of factors including the omicron spike and NBC's decision to not broadcast the Golden Globes on Sunday due to ethical concerns with the organization behind the awards. As a result, events such as the AFI Awards and the Palm Springs Film Festival have been postponed or cancelled, and the Critics' Choice Awards, originally set to be televised on Sunday, have also been rescheduled. Furthermore, many highly anticipated award-winning films have not performed well at the box office. The Academy Awards are still set to take place on March 27, with nominations to be announced on February 8. However, details about the event have not been revealed yet. The annual Governors Awards, where honorary Oscars are usually presented, have already been postponed. It is uncertain if there will be a host, an audience, or viewers for the event. The Academy brought in a producer from the movie "Girls Trip" to manage the show in October, but has not provided any further details and declined to comment. The situation in 2022 is beginning to resemble that of 2021, with Hollywood once again missing out on its usual season of awards shows. This could have significant consequences on the film industry, as award shows are crucial for promoting movies. Nancy Utley, a former co-chair of Fox Searchlight, emphasized the importance of award shows for the box office and the types of movies that are produced. The reason to watch smaller movies in the current climate has become challenging due to the recent scandals and lack of diversity in the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which has affected the box office performance of prestige films during awards season. The large audience shift towards streaming services may be a lasting trend, as only major blockbusters like "Spider-Man: No Way Home" are attracting significant numbers of moviegoers. Stephen Galloway, dean of Chapman University's Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, expressed concern about the future of the movie industry, stating that people are no longer in the habit of watching films on the big screen. He also questioned the longevity of award season without the tradition of going to the movies. The Academy Awards were established in 1929 to showcase Hollywood's accomplishments to a global audience. At its peak, the telecast attracted 55 million viewers. However, this number has been declining steadily over the years, reaching an all-time low of 10.4 million viewers last year. This was for a show that had no host, no musical performances, and a best picture winner in "Nomadland" that was not widely seen. Despite efforts by Hollywood to promote theatergoing over streaming options with big stars and directors, these efforts have not been successful. The general public continues to show hesitancy in returning to movie theaters regularly. Despite positive reviews, highly anticipated films such as "No Time to Die," "Last Night in Soho," "Nightmare Alley," "Belfast," and "West Side Story" have struggled to make significant profits at the box office due to the ongoing pandemic. The original film made $44 million in 1961, which would be equivalent to $409 million today. A recent study shows that 49 percent of moviegoers before the pandemic are no longer purchasing tickets, with 8 percent saying they will never return. This decline in audience attendance is particularly harmful to midbudget films that rely on positive reviews and publicity to attract viewers. Some experts believe that the midbudget movie industry, which includes films costing $20 to $60 million and are not based on popular intellectual property, may be permanently affected by these changes. If changes in viewing habits become permanent and receiving awards is no longer as important, it will be much harder for films to make a profit. If audiences only want to see big blockbusters like "Spider-Man" in theaters, it will be challenging to persuade them to also watch smaller, more artistic films like "Belfast" by Kenneth Branagh. This shift not only impacts individual movies and filmmakers, but also the entire film industry as an art form. Art is delicate. Among the other potential best-picture contenders that had a significant theatrical release, only "Dune," a sci-fi spectacle based on existing material, surpassed the $100 million mark in box office sales. "King Richard" brought in $14.7 million, and "Licorice Pizza" made $7 million. According to film journalist and historian Mark Harris, there have been no non-genre adult dramas that have made over $50 million. The landscape of 2019, where films like "1917," "Ford v. Ferrari," and "Parasite" thrived financially, no longer exists. Despite this, studios are adapting - MGM is slowing down the theatrical release of "Licorice Pizza" after witnessing other high-quality films struggle when they expanded to over 1,000 theaters. The release of "Cyrano" in Britain starring Peter Dinklage has been postponed to February in order to align with the US release, in hopes that older female moviegoers will return to theaters by then. Sony Pictures Classics is adopting strategies from 2021, such as more virtual screenings and Q&As to attract academy voters, and shifting distribution to home platforms quicker. Their documentary "Julia" about Julia Child was available on premium video-on-demand during the holidays. While many studios held events in early December with vaccination and testing requirements, January has seen a cancellation or move to virtual platforms for awards campaigning events like screenings and parties. Billboards with the message "For your consideration" are still common in Los Angeles, but in-person events are mostly on hold. Netflix, known for limited theatrical releases and not reporting box office results, is expected to have a strong presence in award season this year with films like "Tick, Tick ... Boom," "The Power of the Dog," and "The Lost Daughter" competing for prizes. Like other studios, Netflix has shifted all January events to virtual. Michael Barker, co-president of Sony Pictures Classics, mentioned the need to adapt to the current situation, reflecting on the challenges faced last year and the ongoing need to adjust. Despite the changes, he remains optimistic about the future and the new world order that will emerge once the current situation passes.