2012 Oscars not moving to earlier date

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has said that its board of governors had determined the date of the 2012 Oscars "will not be significantly earlier than the now-traditional last Sunday in February."

This means that the 84th Academy Awards will not be weeks earlier than usual, as had been widely speculated - a move that would have upended Hollywood's crowded awards season, reports the Mirror.

However, the statement left open the possibility of an earlier Oscar date in subsequent years saying, "The academy's staff and board will continue to evaluate the advantages and challenges associated with such a change."

The 83rd annual Academy Awards ceremony is set for Sunday, February 27 2011, at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles.

The exact date of the 2012 Oscar ceremony has yet to be chosen.