Hurt Locker Producer Banned From Oscars

Hurt Locker was gaining steam with the oddsmakers on Tuesday.  Bookmaker.com declared Hurt Locker the odds on favorite, now beating out box office record breaker Avatar.

But should the film win, its producer won't be at the Oscars to receive the award.  That's because Nicolas Chartier has been banned from attending this Sunday's Academy Awards.

The reason.

It seems Chartier is responsible for sending out an email that was frowned upon by the Academy whereby he urged voters to award his film a "$500 M film", with the blatant reference to Avatar.

According to the press release, "Academy rules prohibit 'casting a negative or derogatory light on a competing film.' The executive committee of the Academy's Producers Branch, at a special session late Monday, ruled that the ethical lapse merited the revocation of Chartier's invitation to the Awards."

Chartier could still receive the Oscar should Avatar end up winning for "Best Picture", only he will have to pick it up at a later date.

Payton O'Brien, Gambling911.com Senior Editor