Oscars 2021 will be held in-person, not Zoom

Roll out the red carpet – we’re officially getting an IRL televised Oscars ceremony in 2021.

“The Oscars in-person telecast will happen,” a spokesperson from the Academy and ABC told Variety It’s been pushed back two months until April 25 – the ceremony usually occurs in February. This decision was reportedly made in the hopes that cinemas will be open again in the spring, therefore allowing for more movies to compete.

Covid-19 has wreaked havoc on the movie industry this year, with cinemas closing worldwide and studios issuing a seemingly never-ending stream of release date delays. The Academy has already extended its eligibility timeline for next year’s Oscars, meaning that movies will have to be released by February 28 instead of the usual December 31. Plus, films that premiere on streaming platforms will also qualify for submission.

The Oscars ceremony traditionally takes place at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles – a venue with 3,400 seats. It’s unclear what safety protocols will be in place yet and how many guests will be allowed to attend. This year’s Emmy awards ceremony was a hybrid event, with most guests joining via Zoom from their homes, so it’ll be interesting to see how the Oscars deals with the pandemic.

Netflix is looking to win big in 2021, with Mank, The Trial of the Chicago 7, and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom all tipped for Best Picture nominations. Make sure you’re up to date with all the new streaming releases before awards season rolls around – we’ve compiled a list of the best Netflix movies to watch right now.

I’m an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering everything film and TV-related. I help bring you all the latest news, features, and reviews, as well as helming our Big Screen Spotlight column. I’ve previously written for publications like HuffPost and i-D after getting my NCTJ Diploma in Multimedia Journalism.