Los Angeles, United States. Hollywood will host the Academy Awards on Sunday at the Dolby Theatre, with a wide-open best-picture race led in nominations by “Sinners.” Organizers said security will be tight as they coordinate with federal and local law enforcement.
Security preparations
Organizers said they were working closely with the FBI and Los Angeles police after a federal warning of a possible Iranian threat against California. Authorities have cited no specific or credible danger to the Academy Awards.
Broadcast and performances
The show begins at 7 p.m. ET (midnight GMT), and will be televised live on Walt Disney’s DIS.N ABC and streamed on Hulu. Performers will include the real-life singers of HUNTR/X, the fictional band in animated film nominee “KPop Demon Hunters.”
Host and references to current events
Hosted by Conan O’Brien for a second year, the ceremony takes place as the U.S. wages war on Iran. O’Brien said he planned to touch on current events while focusing on entertainment.
“My job is to hit this very, very thin line, I think, between entertaining people and also acknowledging some of the realities,” he told a press conference on Wednesday. “All I can say is I’ll use my best judgment.”
Open races and nomination leader
The awards feature a wide-open contest led by “Sinners” with 16 nominations, a record number in the nearly 100-year-old history of the Oscars. The best-picture race pits “Sinners” against the darkly comic thriller “One Battle After Another.”
Industry pressures and consolidation
The ceremony comes as Hollywood grapples with geopolitical tensions, industry consolidation and anxiety over artificial intelligence. The film business has faced unease over where movies are being made as studios seek tax incentives and lower costs elsewhere in the U.S. and overseas, weakening Hollywood’s grip on production.
Warner Bros. WBD.O, the studio behind “One Battle” and “Sinners,” is in the process of being sold to Paramount Skydance PSKY.O in a deal that would narrow the ranks of major film distributors. A media watchdog group, Free Press, circulated a roving billboard around Hollywood over the weekend airing its opposition to the merger.
Workers in front of and behind the camera are worried artificial intelligence will limit job opportunities and stifle creativity and risk-taking.
Best actor contest
This year’s awards contest carries an unusually high potential for surprises. The race for best actor is described as especially unpredictable, pitting Timothée Chalamet against Leonardo DiCaprio and Michael B. Jordan.
Which awards race are you watching most closely this year?
