This article was originally published ahead of the 2018 Oscars. It has been updated to include subsequent Academy Award ceremonies. The Academy Awards right now are like one of those long-running but fading film franchises. The studio’s tried every trick it can think of but just can’t get the box office up to past glories. It’s been a difficult few years. Film admissions generally — and ratings for the annual award broadcast — have been trending down for decades. A move to broaden the Best