While we’ve flipped the calendar to 2025, Hollywood still has some 2024 business to take care of. Namely, the Oscars 2025, aka the 97th Academy Awards, which will recognize many of the best movies and performances from the roster of 2024 new movies.
While the Golden Globes, SAG Awards and other ceremonies are key stops in the awards season, the Oscars remain the pinnacle, as does its coveted Best Picture prize. Adding to the excitement this year is the fact that there is no clear front-runner, meaning we should be in for an exciting Oscar ceremony.
What movies are up for awards this year, who is going to serve as the Oscar host and when is all of this going to take place? Read on for everything you need to know about the Oscars 2025.
Oscars 2025 date
The Oscars will take place on Sunday, March 2, at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood. The ceremony will air at 7 pm ET/4 pm PT on ABC. If you’re a fan of the red carpet proceedings, those begin at 6:30 pm ET/3:30 pm PT on ABC.
In order to watch the Oscars live you must have access to ABC, which is available through traditional pay-TV providers or a live TV streaming service (Fubo, Hulu with Live TV, YouTube TV and Sling TV, the latter in select markets). You can also receive your local ABC station with a TV antenna. If you miss it live, the ceremony will stream on-demand the next day on Hulu.
For those not in the US, here is where the Oscars are being broadcast around the world.
Oscars 2025 nominations
Oscar nominations are going to be announced on Thursday, January 23.
The nominations date has postponed a couple of times in the last week (first from January 17, then January 19) because of the ongoing fires impacting Los Angeles.
Among the movies that are in contention for nominations this year include Anora, Babygirl, The Brutalist, A Complete Unknown, Conclave, A Different Man, Dune: Part Two, Emilia Perez, Gladiator 2, Nickel Boys, Queer, Sing Sing, The Substance and Wicked.
Here are the categories that they are going to be competing for:
Best Picture
Best Director
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Original Screenplay
Best Animated Feature
Best Documentary Feature
Best International Feature
Best Cinematography
Best Costume Design
Best Editing
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Best Original Score
Best Original Song
Best Production Design
Best Sound
Best Visual Effects
Best Animated Short
Best Documentary Short
Best Live Action Short
Oscars 2025 host
Handling emcee duties this year as the Oscars host is Conan O’Brien.
O’Brien was one of the premier late-night TV hosts for almost 30 years with Late Night with Conan O’Brien, The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien and Conan. Currently, he is the host of the popular podcast Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend and the Emmy-winning Conan O’Brien Must Go. This will mark his first time hosting the Oscars, though he previously hosted the Emmys twice.
“We are thrilled and honored to have the incomparable Conan O’Brien host the Oscars this year,” said Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang. “He is the perfect person to help lead our global celebration of film with his brilliant humor, his love of movies, and his live TV expertise. His remarkable ability to connect with audiences will bring viewers together to do what the Oscars do best--honor the spectacular films and filmmakers of this year.”
O’Brien commented on the announcement in his own trademark way: “America demanded it and now it’s happening: Taco Bell’s new Cheesy Chalupa Supreme. In other news, I’m hosting the Oscars.”
You can also see O’Brien talk about him taking on Oscar hosting duties on his podcast here:
Oscars 2025 behind the scenes
Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan are serving as executive producers for the 97th Academy Awards, with Kapoor also being the showrunner for the ceremony. Hamish Hamilton is directing the proceedings. The three are returning after working on the 2024 Oscars, for which they all won an Emmy; Hamilton has directed the Oscars five times in total.
More creatives from the 96th Oscars are also returning, including production designers Misty Buckley and Alana Billingsley, and red carpet show executive producer David Chamberlin. Michael Bearden is working his first Oscars as the music director.
