Everything You Need to Know About the 94th Oscars
The biggest night in movies is almost here. The Oscars are a little more than a month away by the time this publishes.
So, what do you need to know this year?
At the end of May, The Academy returned to the standard December 31st deadline for awards consideration. At the same time, The Academy announced the Oscars ceremony dates as Sunday, March 27th, 2022.
About a month later, The Academy approved the rules and campaign regulations for the 94th Oscars. There weren't big changes this year outside of the addition of the Bay Area, Chicago, Miami, and Atlanta areas being added to the eligible areas for theatrical submissions, the Best Picture category being locked at 10 nominations, an expanded shortlist for International Feature Film of 15 films and a preliminary round of voting for Sound, Original Score, Original Song, the Short Film categories, and International Feature to determine what films and shorts end up on the 94th Oscars shortlists.
The following Thursday, The Academy invited 395 new Academy members to its 2021 member class.
In October, it was announced that Emmy®-nominated producer Will Packer will produce the 94th Oscars, marking his first time producing the Oscars. He's known for films such as The Photograph, Little, What Men Want, Night School, Breaking In, Girls Trip, Ride Along 2, and a myriad of other films under his company Will Packer Productions.
Three months later, in December, The Academy announced the feature films eligible for consideration in the Animated Feature Film, Documentary Feature and International Feature Film categories for the 94th Oscars. 26 animated films made the cut for Animated Feature, 138 documentaries made the cut for Documentary Feature, and 93 films made the cut for International Feature.
That same month, The Academy announced the shortlists for the following categories: Documentary Feature, Documentary Short Subject, International Feature Film, Makeup and Hairstyling, Music (Original Score), Music (Original Song), Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film, Sound and Visual Effects. You can read the shortlists here.
In January, Will Packer announced that Glenn Weiss would return to direct the 94th Oscars, marking the seventh time he has directed an Oscar ceremony telecast. Nine days later, The Academy released the 94th Oscars Reminder List, which you can read here.
On February 15th, The Academy announced that Regina Hall, Amy Schumer, and Wanda Sykes would host an hour of the 94th Oscars.
The following day, The Academy announced this year's Oscar week schedule, starting on March 22nd at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater covering the shorts up for Oscar consideration this year. Then, on March 23rd covering documentary shorts and features, which will be livestreamed here. On March 24th, they'll cover the nominees for the Best International Feature Film category, which will also be livestreamed. That Saturday, The Academy will cover the nominees for Best Animated Feature Film as well as Makeup and Hairstyling. While the Animated Feature will be livestreamed, the Makeup and Hairstyling event will not.
On March 8th, The Academy announced the second stage of 94th Oscar presenters: Ruth E. Carter, Anthony Hopkins, Lily James, John Leguizamo, Simu Liu, Rami Malek, and Uma Thurman.
The day after the previous announcement, Oscar ceremony producer Will Packer announced the production team for the 94th Oscars: supervising producer Rob Pain, production designer and creative director David Korins, lighting designer Robert Dickinson (his 33rd show), music director Adam Blackstone, talent producer Taryn Hurd, head writer Jon Mack (his 25th Oscars), writer and producer Dave Boone, writer Dana Eagle, writer Mitch Marchand, writer Suli McCullough, writer Agathe Panaretos, writer Danielle Schneider, and writer Chuck Sklar.
That same day, The Academy announced a collaboration between Wolfgang Puck and Ghetto Gastro for the 94th Oscars Governors Ball. The menu will include new dishes as well as smoked salmon Oscars and spicy tuna cones, while Ghetto Gastro will have an "action station" at the event.
On March 11th, The Academy announced its third round of 94th Oscars presenters: Daniel Kaluuya, Mila Kunis, Lupita Nyong’o, Naomi Scott, Wesley Snipes, and John Travolta.
On March 15th, The Academy announced its fourth round of 94th Oscars presenters: Halle Bailey, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Jamie Lee Curtis, Woody Harrelson, Samuel L. Jackson, Shawn Mendes, Tyler Perry and Tracee Ellis Ross, rounding out the final count of presenters to a lofty 28.
Three days later, The Academy announced the musical performers for the 94th Oscars: an All-Star Band featuring the music director of the 94th Oscars, Adam Blackstone, blink-182 drummer, Travis Barker, percussionist and singer Sheila E., and pianist Robert Glasper in addition to DJ D-Nice, and The Samples.
On March 21st, The Academy announced the fifth wave of presenters for the 94th Oscars: Stephanie Beatriz, DJ Khaled, Jennifer Garner, H.E.R., Tiffany Haddish, Tony Hawk, Bill Murray, Elliot Page, Kelly Slater and Shaun White.
This isn't everyone, though, so check back here closer to the show the week of March 21st.
Now that you're all caught up with behind-the-scenes news, let's talk about the show itself.
How can you watch the 94th Oscars?
The 94th Oscars will be broadcast live on ABC from both the Dolby Theater in Hollywood & Highland in Hollywood on Sunday, March 27th. You can watch on ABC's website, the ABC app (TV provider required), or stream through DirecTV Stream ($65/month), FuboTV ($65/month), Hulu + Live TV ($70/month), or YouTube TV ($65/month). So far, neither ABC nor The Academy has clarified their plans for the live broadcast, but expect a pre-show at the very least. This article will be updated when those plans become clearer.
Who are this year's nominees?
Click here to read who was nominated for an Oscar.
Where can I watch the nominees?
Affairs of the Art - Stream on YouTube
Ala Kachuu - Take and Run - Stream by donating
Ascension - Stream on Paramount+
Attica - Stream on Showtime or on Prime Video
Audible - Stream on Netflix
Being the Ricardos - Stream on Prime Video
Belfast - Rent on VOD
Bestia - Watch on Vimeo On Demand
Boxballet - Not currently available to watch
CODA - Stream on Apple TV+
Coming 2 America - Stream on Prime Video
Cruella - Stream on Disney+
Cyrano - In theaters nationwide
Don't Look Up - Stream on Netflix
The Dress - Coming to HBO Max this month
Drive My Car - Stream on HBO Max
Dune: Part One - Stream on HBO Max
Encanto - Streaming on Disney+
The Eyes of Tammy Faye - Streaming on HBO Max
Flee - Streaming on Hulu
Four Good Days - Streaming on Hulu
Free Guy - Streaming on Disney+
The Hand of God - Streaming on Netflix
House of Gucci - Rent on VOD
King Richard - Rent on VOD, stream on HBO Max starting March 24
Lead Me Home - Streaming on Netflix
Licorice Pizza - Currently playing in theaters
The Long Goodbye - Streaming on YouTube
The Lost Daughter - Streaming on Netflix
Luca - Streaming on Disney+
Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom - Rent on digital retailers
The Mitchells vs. the Machines - Streaming on Netflix
Nightmare Alley - Streaming on HBO Max & Hulu
No Time to Die - Rent on digital retailers
On My Mind - Stream on YouTube
Parallel Mothers - Rent on VOD
Please Hold - Stream on YouTube
The Power of the Dog - Stream on Netflix
The Queen of Basketball - Stream on YouTube
Raya and the Last Dragon - Stream on Disney+
Robin Robin - Stream on Netflix
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings - Stream on Disney+
Spencer - Stream on Hulu
Spider-Man: No Way Home - Currently playing in theaters
Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised - Streaming on Disney+ and Hulu
Three Songs for Benazir - Stream on Netflix
tick, tick...BOOM! - Stream on Netflix
The Tragedy of Macbeth - Stream on Apple TV+
West Side Story - Stream on Disney+
When We Were Bullies - Watch on HBO Max starting March 30th
The Windshield Wiper - Stream on YouTube
The Worst Person in the World - Rent on VOD
Writing with Fire - Coming to VOD soon
Where can I read reviews for the nominees?
Right here. Leading up to Oscar Sunday, I'll be publishing reviews for Oscar-nominated films and updating the below section as they release.
How can I make my predictions?
Download the official Oscars ballot (provided by ABC), watch the nominees above (to the best of your ability) and play along during the ceremony!
What is Austin doing for the 94th Oscars?
I will not be covering the 94th Oscars as a member of the press, so all I'll be doing is what every media member who isn't going to the Oscars will do: post last-minute predictions before the weekend, post the winners as they're announced, and stop covering the Oscars until Fall of this year.
When will you post your 94th Oscar predictions article?
Soon. I posted last year's predictions four days before the 93rd Oscars, so expect the article no later.
Until next time!
Thanks to Thomas Stoneham-Judge from Movies For Reel, Shane Conto, Joseph Davis, David Walters, Ambula Bula, and Matthew Simpson for supporting Austin B Media on Patreon!
