It looks like Hollywood’s biggest night is on track to get back to normal in 2021.
A source with ties to the Academy and ABC told Variety that the vaunted film-awards ceremony will not be a virtual experience, despite the ongoing pandemic. “The Oscars in-person telecast will happen,” the insider shared.
The Academy had previously pushed back the date of the ABC ceremony by two months to April 25, 2021, with the hope that the extended time would allow more films to be seen and to qualify for the deadline.
While movie theaters remain closed in many parts of the country and seem unlikely to be fully reopened by April, the source told Variety that there is no plan to delay the event further and that the aim is still to hold the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, which seats 3,400 people.
According to Variety, Academy officials are in the process of figuring out details involving seating and audience capacity.
Regardless of specifics, the upcoming awards season will definitely have a different feel this year. The Golden Globes ceremony has also been delayed, with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler set to host on Sunday, Feb. 28 from The Beverly Hilton, according to the event’s website.