The Show Must Go On: 2021 Oscars to broadcast live from multiple locations

The 93rd Academy Awards will be broadcast live from multiple locations, including the Oscars’ home, the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The news was first reported by Variety on Wednesday morning.

As the April 25 date for the Oscars grows closer, and with the Academy’s commitment to an in-person show, it was revealed that this year’s show will be broadcast live across multiple locations in order to maintain COVID-safe guidelines. While the move of this year’s Oscars from February to April was in anticipation of the pandemic becoming more under control, states and counties are still under lockdowns for large events and a traditional show is now untenable.

“In this unique year that has asked so much of so many, the Academy is determined to present an Oscars like none other, while prioritizing the public health and safety of all those who will participate. To create the in-person show our global audience wants to see, while adapting to the requirements of the pandemic, the ceremony will broadcast live from multiple locations, including the landmark Dolby Theatre. We look forward to sharing more details soon,” said a spokesperson for the Academy.

The Academy, in the wake of the pandemic and closed theaters, extended the eligibility period for this year’s awards to February 28, 2021 as well as opened the door to streaming films and films with intended theatrical releases, allowing them to be screening via the Academy Screening Room within 60 days of the film’s theatrical, streaming or VOD release. Many high-profile studio films opted to drop out of this season and move to later in 2021 like Denis Villeneuve’s Dune and Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch. Matt Reeves’ The Batman, with Robert Pattinson, moved all the way to 2022.

Last week it was announced that the Golden Globes, being held on February 28, will be a live bi-coastal event with Tina Fey hosting at The Rainbow Room in New York City and Amy Poehler at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles, where the Globes are traditionally held. The 2020 Emmys were the first major awards show to navigate the pandemic and did so quite well, with very limited host and presenter duties inside the Staples Center in Los Angeles with nominees on Zoom for the winner announcements.

But, the Oscars haven’t always been just an LA affair; the 25th through the 29th ceremonies were held on both coasts. Informally, there were radio broadcasts of the New York ceremony in earlier years.

The Academy just released its yearly Oscar shortlists in Original Score, Original Song, Makeup and Hairstyling, Visual Effects, Documentary Feature, International Feature Film, Documentary Short Subject, Animated Short Film and Live Action Short Film.

The show will be produced by Jesse Collins, Stacey Sher and Steven Soderbergh but no word yet on a possible host or show director have been revealed. Oscar nomination voting for the 93rd Academy Awards begins March 5 and ends March 10 with nominations announced on March 15.

Image credit: Shutterstock