The Oscar-winning “Anora” filmmaker and producer Samantha Quan will help shape the Academy’s first global recognition program for exceptional movie theaters, ahead of the Oscars’ 100th anniversary in 2027.
Los Angeles | August 19, 2026: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is putting movie theaters back in the spotlight — and it has chosen one of Hollywood’s most celebrated recent filmmaking teams to help lead the charge.
Oscar winner Sean Baker and producer Samantha Quan have been named co-chairs of the Academy’s newly created Marquee Theater Committee, a major new initiative that will review theater submissions and recommend venues for inclusion on the Academy Marquee Theater List.
And this is not simply another Hollywood committee appointment.
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The move signals something much bigger: as streaming continues to reshape how audiences consume movies, the Academy is preparing to celebrate the places where cinema is still experienced the old-fashioned way — on a giant screen, surrounded by an audience.
The Academy’s first Marquee Theater List will be unveiled in spring 2027, coinciding with its 100th anniversary. The inaugural list will feature 50 theaters worldwide — 25 from the United States and 25 international venues.
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Sean Baker’s New Academy Role Is More Interesting Than It Looks
Baker is an especially intriguing choice.
The filmmaker became one of the biggest Oscar stories of 2025 after his film “Anora” won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best Film Editing for Baker, while Mikey Madison won Best Actress.
His new Academy responsibility therefore comes at an interesting point in his career.
Baker has consistently championed independent cinema, unconventional storytelling and the theatrical experience. His films are often made with modest resources but are designed to connect directly with audiences through performance, atmosphere and raw cinematic energy.
Now, the filmmaker is being placed in a position where he can help determine which movie theaters deserve recognition for creating that same kind of connection.
That gives the Marquee Theater Committee some serious indie-film credibility.
And there is another familiar name beside him.
Samantha Quan, Baker’s producer and wife, has been appointed co-chair alongside him. The pair previously worked together on “Anora” and are reuniting professionally on Baker’s upcoming film “Ti Amo!”, which is being positioned as his love letter to Italian sex comedies of the 1960s and ’70s.
In other words, Hollywood has not simply picked two administrators for this job. It has selected two filmmakers deeply connected to the craft and culture of cinema.
What Exactly Is the Academy Marquee Theater List?
The Academy launched the Marquee Theater List in June 2026 as a new global recognition program for exceptional movie theaters.
Unlike the Oscars, which primarily celebrate films and individual filmmaking achievements, the Marquee Theater List turns the spotlight toward exhibition — the actual venues where audiences watch movies.
The Academy says the program will recognize theaters that deliver outstanding audience experiences, preserve cinematic history and operate as cultural anchors in their communities.
That means a shiny multiplex is not automatically going to win the Academy’s attention.
The evaluation will look at several factors, including:
- Community engagement
- Visual and audio presentation
- Programming
- Diversity, inclusion and accessibility
- Historic significance and preservation
- Theater design, lighting and overall condition
- Concessions
The theaters can be located anywhere in the world, but they must be year-round, brick-and-mortar venues. Both first-run cinemas and repertory theaters are eligible.
The Academy is also making the process surprisingly detailed.
A theater submission must include technical and historical information, a monthly screening calendar, a letter of support from a cultural figure or community leader, essays describing the venue’s identity and programming, information about concessions and special events, and even a creative video proposal.
So yes, Hollywood is essentially asking cinemas to make their own Oscar campaign.
The Deadline Is Almost Here
The timing makes the appointment particularly important.
The Academy has set August 25, 2026, at 5 p.m. PT as the submission deadline for the inaugural list. Submission fees range from $250 for early applications to $450 for late applications.
With Baker and Quan now heading the committee, the process is entering a crucial phase.
Their job will be to examine submissions and recommend theaters for the prestigious list, with the final selections subject to approval by the Academy’s Board of Governors.
For independent theater owners, this could become a serious branding opportunity.
Being named to an Academy-backed global list could transform a relatively unknown cinema into a destination for movie lovers, filmmakers and tourists.
And that is where things get particularly interesting.
Could an Academy Seal Become the New Cinema Status Symbol?
Imagine a historic single-screen theater in a small town suddenly receiving an Academy certification.
That certification could become part of the venue’s identity.
The selected theaters will be featured across the Academy’s digital platforms, including its website and social media channels, and will receive a physical certification for display in their lobbies.
For independent cinemas competing against streaming services, luxury multiplexes and increasingly sophisticated home-entertainment systems, that kind of recognition could have real commercial value.
It could help theaters attract audiences looking for something beyond simply watching the latest blockbuster.
A cinema could effectively say: this isn’t just a place where movies are screened — this is an Academy-recognized moviegoing experience.
That distinction could become powerful.
Why This Matters in the Streaming Era
The Academy’s decision also reflects a larger battle taking place across Hollywood.
The movie business is no longer only competing against other movies.
It is competing against Netflix, streaming platforms, gaming, social media, short-form video and increasingly sophisticated home-theater systems.
Theatrical exhibition has therefore become part of the industry’s survival conversation.
The Marquee Theater List appears designed to celebrate exactly what home viewing cannot completely replicate: the architecture, communal atmosphere, presentation quality, history and ritual of going to the cinema.
And Baker is arguably one of the more interesting filmmakers to put at the center of that conversation.
His career has been built around independent cinema that thrives on audience discovery and theatrical conversation rather than simply franchise familiarity.
A Bigger Academy Strategy Is Emerging
The committee announcement comes alongside the appointment of chairs and vice chairs across the Academy’s 2026-27 committees and affinity groups.
These groups cover everything from international feature films and Oscar-qualifying festivals to scientific and technical achievements, Academy membership, global engagement and inclusion initiatives.
Among the notable appointments are Guneet Monga Kapoor, who will serve as vice chair of the Asian Affinity Group, while filmmakers and industry figures including Patricia Cardoso, Effie T. Brown, Haifaa al-Mansour, Carlos López Estrada, Andrew Ahn and Kimberly Reed take leadership roles across different Academy groups.
The broader picture is clear: the Academy is preparing for a significant new chapter as it approaches its centennial.
And the Marquee Theater initiative gives that anniversary a particularly cinematic twist.
What Happens Next?
The first 50 theaters will be revealed in spring 2027, making the inaugural list potentially one of the most watched exhibition announcements in the global film industry.
For theater operators, the next few months could be crucial.
For audiences, the list could eventually become something of a cinematic travel guide — a collection of theaters worth visiting not merely because of what is playing there, but because of the experience itself.
And for Sean Baker and Samantha Quan, the new responsibility places them at the center of a fascinating Hollywood question:
Can the movie theater itself become a star again?
The Academy clearly thinks it can.
With its centennial approaching, Hollywood is betting that the future of cinema may require remembering what made moviegoing special in the first place.
And if Baker and Quan can help identify the theaters that still possess that magic, the Academy Marquee Theater List could become much more than a one-off anniversary initiative.
It could become the film industry’s new gold standard for the art of going to the movies.
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