Oscars bosses are turning to music - not movies - to win back dwindling audiences numbers in the US and around the world.
Academy executives are banking on r'n'b artist Beyonce, teen pop star Billie Eilish and current chart smash We Don't Talk About Bruno from Disney animated Encanto to wow viewers back to the telecast on Sunday
And while the pop performances will be the showcases for the three hour ceremony, actual movie talent behind the lens is being removed from the live ceremony.
Oscars producers Will Packer and Shayla Cowan will not air eight categories of artistry, like make-up and production design, from the live TV ceremony.
That decision has sparked huge backlash across Hollywood, worried that the drive for entertainment is more important than honouring off screen film talent.
For the time saved producers are building huge musical numbers around comedy skits from hosts Regina Hall, Amy Schumer and Wanda Sykes
Beyonce is being lined up to open the show with Be Alive from King Richard on the Compton tennis courts where Venus and Serena Williams grew up playing.
Encanto”s hit song We Don't Talk About Bruno ( performed by Latin music powerhouses Luis Fonsi and Becky Gwith and film cast members) will feature in a medley of Lin-Manuel Miranda's music from the animated hit. The Spanish-language song “Dos Oruguitas” is actually nominated for best original song, but the BRuno hit is seen as "important in bringing eyeballs to the show."
Billie Eilish and her brother will perform the No Time To Die title track at the Dolby Theater.
One Academy member said: "It is no secret that the changes are aimed at bringing in bigger audiences, especially in America. The last few years have seen interest wane in movie winners, so they are turning to music to supercharge the show.
"Their hope to create enough buzz to make the show opening with Beyonce especially must see TV.
"They are teasing the surprises rather than giving it all away so that folks tune in live. That is their driving force.
"And the thought process is audiences who want to watch music are a much younger demographic than usual Oscar viewers.
"The only way to allow Beyonce and others to shine was to trim the award categories so they could build big features in the show and give musicians room to deliver creative performances.
"People within the Academy are joking that we are getting closer to the Grammys now. But they think this is the way to save the show from sinking - so we will see on Sunday,
"Certainly the comedians will have to really be on their A game, because Hollywood presenting gigs have never been the same since Ricky Gervais's Golden Globes outings.
"His witty attacks on Hollywood resonated with viewers and set a benchmark tough to get anywhere near."
On Friday, Hollywood delivered mixed reactions to the musical
Veteran Hollywood star Gerald McRaney is uncertain that musical centrepieces and comedians will bolster ratings.
McRaney, whose six decade career has seen him appear in hits like House of Cards, said at the ICG Publicist Awards on Friday: "Awards shows are about giving awards for the work they have done. If that gets ratings terrific, if it doesn't you've got to remember that it's an awards.
'One thing that would help speed it along and get more viewers is to not be so entertaining. Cut out the dance numbers and the hoopla - get on the awards.
"I would cut some of that fluff out and get on with things.
"It drags things out so much. I have witnessed some of the worst comedy in my life from people telling jokes at these things..it is like 'can we move on?'."
Academy member and actress Jodi Long, who appeared in Disney hit Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, said: "Those categories are very important.Unfortunately people who watch want to see the gowns of movie stars and who won best picture. It is a mixed bag and the Academy is trying"
Actress Michelle Hurd, from the hit show Picard, added: "We need to get out there with social media and amplify the need and importance of including everybody perhaps the Academy will wake up and extend the evening or shorten the speeches and really give respect to people we are honouring."
Sunday's TV show will pay tribute to the 60th anniversary of the James Bond franchise,
Executives confirmed that the Hollywood ceremony will reflect on six decades of the iconic British films since Dr No, and commemorate the 50th anniversary of The Godfather.
However they are staying silent whether outgoing Bond star Daniel Craig will jet in to LA from New York for Sunday's three hour TV celebration.
The Chester born actor is currently in rehearsals for Macbeth, which opens on Tuesday in the Big Apple.
Chatter within LA movie industry circles claimed that "Adele and Sam Smith and other artists like Gladys Knight could return to sing a medley of the tunes around a compilation of classic 007 moments." Nothing has been confirmed.
Insiders claim that Academy chiefs had reached out to Godfather director Francis Ford Coppola , stars Al Pacino, Robert Duvall and Robert De Niro to feature in some capacity.
Producer Will Packer refused to divulge much detail about the exact star packed bash, including rumours on whether the Duke And Duchess Of Sussex may appear.
Packer instead teased epic moments for Bond and The Godfather: “We have some surprises around that. Wink, wink,
“Movies are the one thing that actually do unite so many of us as a global community. “Movies make you feel something, they inspire you, they make you aspire.”
Sykes laughed that they talked about having Dame Judi Dench “do the worm.”
Packer is aware of the pressure to increase last year's lowly ratings of 10m in the US, but understands the upset caused by removing eight category awards live.
“We’re going to make sure that everybody has their moment,” Packer said. “It’s about celebrating the most talented people and what they do.”
The subject of Ukraine is likely to be discussed in speeches and comments by presenters,
Packer said they will acknowledge the state of the world respectfully, including the pandemic and the war, but that he wants the evening to be first and foremost "a celebration, a release, an escape for people who really need it.”
Sykes said they want “everyone to have a good time" but aren't “going to trash anyone ... none of us are mean spirited.”
The Academy is requiring every attendee to submit two negative PCR tests before the show. Audience members also have to be vaccinated.
“We want to make sure that everybody is safe coming to the show,” said Packer, who declined to talk about whether he knew of any individual nominees who had COVID-19. “We have a lot of protocols in place ... We want to pull off a show that keeps everyone safe.”
Those categories include makeup and hairstyling, original score, production design, sound, documentary short subject, animated short, live-action short, and film editing.
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