The Oscars team says the 98th Academy Awards aims to feel warm, tight and built for both the room and viewers at home. The show's producers are finishing final preparations with host Conan O’Brien, planned performances, tributes and a spotlight for the newer casting award.
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Doctors wish they wouldn'tColorectal cancer is rising in younger adults. Here's who is most at risk and symptoms to watch forGoogle overhauls its Maps app, adding in more AI features to help people get aroundPhotos show the dramatic dawn flight of migrating snow geeseWhat to know about Reform Judaism after an attack on one of its largest US synagoguesCancelan reunión entre Gustavo Petro y Delcy Rodríguez en la frontera colombo-venezolana Doctors wish they wouldn'tColorectal cancer is rising in younger adults. Here's who is most at risk and symptoms to watch forGoogle overhauls its Maps app, adding in more AI features to help people get aroundPhotos show the dramatic dawn flight of migrating snow geeseWhat to know about Reform Judaism after an attack on one of its largest US synagoguesCancelan reunión entre Gustavo Petro y Delcy Rodríguez en la frontera colombo-venezolanaAcademy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Lynette Howell Taylor, left, and CEO of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Bill Kramer, appear during the 98th Academy Awards nominations announcement in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Jan. 22, 2026. from a few different vantage points: As a nominee, in 2019 for “A Star is Born,” as a producer of the broadcast in 2020, as a member of the film academy’s board of governors and, for the last three years, as awards chair. It’s made her first year as the president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences feel like a natural transition. And one thing she is certain of is that every Oscars is unique.It’s a tricky thing to both honor the people in the room while also making an entertaining show for a home audience. But behind the scenes, from returning hostto the producers and Emmy-winning production design team, is a group of people who know how to dazzle a global audience. “I think we, in the past couple of years, have really hit that balance right,” Kramer said. “We’re looking at that puzzle constantly and this year is going to be spectacular.”“It’s always about the movies and the movies this year? They’re all the things,” Taylor said. “There are escapist movies, big commercial movies, there are movies that are really brave and really bold in their storytelling … I get really emotional when I talk about the quality of this year’s films.”The ratings for the Oscars have been ticking up since plummeting to an all-time low in 2021 during the pandemic. The winning movie last year, “Anora,” might have been smaller than “Oppenheimer” the previous year, but ratings still went up slightly from 19.5 million in 2024 to The show had an especially big lift among people ages 18 to 49, driven by mobile and laptop watches from younger viewers. Last year was the first time the ceremony was available to stream live on Hulu. They’ve also been partnering with popular internet personalities like“Our audiences are growing,” Kramer said. “And young people are watching the show in ways that we’ve not seen before and that’s really great.”Boosted ratings might not be a coincidence with the fact that planning for the show has been starting earlier and earlier in recent years. “It gives us time to talk through so many things pre-nominations. So once the nominations happen, we can start focusing on what that means for the show,” Kramer said. “There’s not a lot of last-minute panicking over anything.” One of the ways that will manifest in this year’s show is the production design, from the set to the red carpet, details are pored over for many months. “They’ve done such beautiful work … and this year, they’ve just gone a whole step further with a different feel that’s very intimate and warm,” Taylor said. “It’s a bit of a departure.” Though a lot is pre-planned, they’re also always thinking of ways to meet the moment, which has led to some major showstoppers.with Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande was a relatively late addition and ended up being one of the more memorable parts.Last year Morgan Freeman took the stage to honor Gene Hackman, who had been found dead just days earlier, and others. This year there have been rumors about Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal joining forces for Reiner, but the organizers are neither confirming nor denying that reunion. “Obviously we’re paying special attention to the in memoriam this year. It’s going to be robust and beautiful and very, very moving,” Kramer said. “We won’t give away any secrets. You’ll have to tune in.” As always, there will be a longer version of the in memoriam available online to recognize people who might not make the broadcast cut.The longest broadcast in Oscars history, the 74th show in 2002 hosted by Whoopi Goldberg, clocked in at four hours and 23 minutes. But even with a new category, the people behind the show are striving to do it in three-and-a-half hours, or less. “It’s a lot of moving pieces, but it’s totally doable,” Kramer said. “And casting’s going to get a gorgeous moment on the show.” Taylor added that awards shows are like movies. Sometimes a long film can feel like “watching paint dry.” Other times, it flies by. “We really focus on making the show as dynamic and emotionally connecting as possible and really celebrating movies in a way that audiences want to stay tuned for,” Taylor said.Planning is already underway for the 100th Oscars in 2028. They’re also charting a course beyond too: In 2029, the Oscars will move from “YouTube signals our desire to be a more global organization that reaches more audiences around the world,” Kramer said. “The Oscars are just one part of a year-round deal where we’re building a hub for cinema on YouTube that will have our SciTech Awards, our museum programming. Google Arts and Culture will be digitizing components of our collection and making it available to the public. This is all about reach and growing audiences.”Live updates: 2,500 US Marines sent to Mideast as Iran war keeps pressure on oil prices
Lynette Howell Taylor Conan Obrien Academy Awards Bill Kramer Television General News Academy Awards Oscars California Meg Ryan U.S. News Catherine Ohara Entertainment Rob Reiner Gene Hackman Diane Keaton Amelia Dimoldenberg Morgan Freeman Robert Redford Claudia Cardinale Ariana Grande James Van Der Beek Malcolm-Jamal Warner Cynthia Erivo Whoopi Goldberg Val Kilmer Robert Duvall Billy Crystal U.S. News
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