Michael Jackson’s This Is It DVD was originally slated to be released prior to Christmas, but due to a regulation that usually forces studios to wait a minimum 90 days before releasing a new film to DVD, it has been pushed to a late January or early February DVD release, according to the  Los Angeles Times.

Because the film will only have a two-week theatrical run, Sony executives argued that a This Is It DVD should circumvent the agreement between theater owners and movie studios, but the theater chains relented.

The AP reports that Sony will submit the documentary for Academy Award consideration in categories ranging from film editing and sound to Best Picture and Best Director. Unfortunately, the most noteworthy category in which This Is It had the best chances of competing, the Best Documentary Oscar, already passed its deadline, making Jackson’s rehearsal footage film ineligible.

The film will also be ineligible for the Golden Globes, as it doesn’t recognize documentaries. Because this year’s Oscars will feature an expanded Best Picture field of 10 nominees, based on its rave reviews it’s plausible that This Is It could score an Oscar nod.

Source: Rolling Stone