A long-overdue shake-up is coming to Hollywood’s most celebrated night.
For the first time in history, the Oscars will be streamed on Hulu and aired live on ABC, making the ceremony more accessible than ever.
The potential game changer, announced jointly by ABC and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, indicates a significant shift in how audiences can engage with one of the world’s most prestigious awards shows. Additionally, the 97th annual ceremony will be available for on-demand viewing on Hulu the following day, allowing more fans to experience the glitz and glamour of Hollywood’s biggest night.
As previously announced, this year’s emcee will be Emmy-winning comedian and late-night legend Conan O’Brien, marking his debut at the annual event. Live television maestro Raj Kapoor will return as executive producer and showrunner, continuing his streak of helming high-profile events. He will be joined by executive producer Katy Mullan, another industry veteran known for producing visually stunning live events, and Hamish Hamilton, the director behind some of the most memorable live broadcasts, including Beyoncé’s Super Bowl halftime show.
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For years, Oscar enthusiasts and industry insiders have called for a simulcast of the telecast, citing the importance of embracing changing viewing habits in an increasingly digital world. Their pleas have finally been answered. The move to stream live on Hulu — a platform with 52 million subscribers — is expected to give the show an unprecedented boost in accessibility and viewership.
The Oscars have been riding a wave of a comeback of rising ratings, with the 2024 ceremony drawing 21.5 million viewers, the largest audience since 2020. This marked the third consecutive year of viewership growth. With the added reach of Hulu, we could see viewership surpassing 30 million, a milestone not seen since 2017 when “Moonlight” famously won best picture (aka #EnvelopeGate). There’s even potential for more than 40 million viewers, a feat last achieved in 2014 when “12 Years a Slave” triumphed.
The timing of this move could not be more ideal, as the Oscar race is shaping up to be one of the most competitive, diverse and wide-open in years. The slate of potential nominees is expected to include a mix of box office juggernauts (“Wicked”), genre-defining epics (“Dune: Part Two”), critically acclaimed comedies and dramas (“Anora” and “Conclave”), and, of course, the biggest stars in the world (i.e. Ariana Grande, Selena Gomez, Denzel Washington and more).
The 97th Academy Awards will take place at the iconic Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. A star-studded red carpet pre-show will begin at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT. The ceremony will be broadcast live to more than 200 territories worldwide.
Below is the key art for the 97th Oscars.
ABC