Critics Choice Awards postponed, joining pretty much everything in society

And another one bites the dust. The "dust" being the Omicron variant and "one" being yet another awards show. The Critics Choice Awards is the latest event postponed over the recent surge in coronavirus infections, making the road to the Oscars as empty as a desolate highway.

In a statement, the Critics Choice Association expressed hope of rescheduling the event sometime during the awards season:

"After thoughtful consideration and candid conversations with our partners at The CW and TBS, we have collectively come to the conclusion that the prudent and responsible decision at this point is to postpone the 27th Annual Critics Choice Awards, originally slated for January 9, 2022. We are in regular communication with LA County Public Health officials, and we are currently working diligently to find a new date during the upcoming awards season in which to host our annual gala in-person with everyone's safety and health remaining our top priority. We will be sharing additional details with our friends and colleagues throughout the entertainment industry as soon as we can."

Taye Diggs and Nicole Byer were set to host the show, one of the key precursors to the Oscars. With the Golden Globes all but sidelined this year, if not longer, the CCAs were poised to get the ball rolling as one of the first major awards shows of the year.

However, much like the Palm Springs Film Awards, the Governor Awards luncheon, the BAFTA Tea, and the AFI Awards before it, the CCAs had to take a bow to the most compelling story of the year, Covid-19. Nearly every public event has been postponed or canceled in the last few days — from Broadway shows to the NHL season.

Earlier in last week, the CCAs were determined for the show to go on — with strict Covid protocols and everything — but their change of heart is understandable amid all the social upheaval.

When they do return, the Critics Choice Awards has some work to do sorting through their list of TV and movie nominations. West Side Story and Belfast lead with 11 nominations each, with Dune and The Power of the Dog nabbing 10, and Nightmare Alley and Licorice Pizza with eight. Meanwhile, Paramount+'s Evil and HBO Max's Succession are dominating the TV categories with nine and eight nominations, respectively.

Check out more from EW's The Awardist, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis, and our podcast diving into all the highlights from the year's best films.

Related content:

• West Side Story, Belfast storm Oscar race with 11 Critics Choice Awards nominations each: See the full list
• HBO's Succession and Mare of Easttown lead Critics Choice Awards TV nominations
• Another round of COVID cancellations: How pop culture is being shut down or delayed again