Every year, the biggest names in Hollywood get together for an elaborate ceremony celebrating the best films, actors, actresses, and achievements in all other sorts of categories at the annual Academy Awards ceremony. While not everyone gets as excited about the event as some, there are a lot of people who can’t get enough of the glitz, glamour, and occasional epic mistake happening live on TV.
If you fall into that second camp, you have come to right place, because we’re about to break down everything from the Oscars premiere date, the trio of hosts, what changes you can expect at the ceremony, and just about everything else we know so far. Grab your nicest tux or designer gown, clear your schedules, and get ready for the 2022 Academy Awards…
The 94th Academy Awards Will Air March 27 On ABC
The Academy Awards ceremony typically takes place anywhere between late February and the final week of March, though there have been some exceptions to that rule, specifically the 93rd ceremony, which was held on April 25, 2021. The 2022 Academy Awards will fall back into that traditional timeframe when the ceremony airs live 8 p.m. EST, Sunday, March 27 on ABC (and other networks internationally).
There hasn’t been any word on whether or not the Oscars will be streaming on Hulu (ABC and the streamer are both owned by Disney), but anyone with a Hulu + Live TV subscription or YouTube TV membership will be able to watch the ceremony live since both platforms carry ABC.
The Oscars Will Be Hosted By Regina Hall, Amy Schumer, And Wanda Sykes
In years past, Whoopi Goldberg, Steve Martin, and Billy Crystal have served as the host of the Oscars, and created some memorable moments in the process. But, with the role becoming more of a thankless jobs in more recent years, there hasn’t been a host since the 90th Academy Awards in 2018, which was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel. Well, that all changes for the 94th annual ceremony.
In February 2022, ABC and The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that not only will there be a host at this year’s event, there will be three, and they are some heavy hitters. Not a lot of details have been released at this time, but Regina Hall, Amy Schumer, and Wanda Sykes will split up the hosting duties. Just imagine what kind of hijinks this trio of hilarious comedic actresses can get into with a live mic and millions of people watching from home.
The 94th Academy Awards Has The Theme Of ‘Movie Lovers Unite’
It appears like The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and ABC are trying to include all the movie lovers out there with the theme and vision of the upcoming ceremony. In February 2022, ABC posted a video to its YouTube page highlighting the 2022 Academy Awards and used the phrase “Movie Lovers Unite” when talking about the big night. But, this isn’t just some catchphrase, especially with the following statement from Academy President David Rubin:
We’re invigorated by [Oscars Producer] Will [Packer]’s vision for this year’s Oscars: celebrating movie lovers alongside moviemakers and spotlighting fan favorites that prove how cinema can unite us all.
All the ways the Academy plans on uniting movie lovers (both audiences and filmmakers) at the upcoming Oscars ceremony have yet to be revealed, but this could very well be the first step in the process of making the annual ceremony appeal to a larger audience after years of decreased popularity.
The 94th Academy Awards Will Also Feature Viewer Participation In 2022
Upset that Spider-Man: No Way Home didn’t get nominated for Best Picture at the 94th Academy Awards? Or, still peeved about The Lighthouse being snubbed in 2020? Well, this year’s ceremony will feature the “Oscars Fan Favorite Vote” and “Oscars Cheer Moment,” two ways that will provide for some much-needed fan participation throughout the event. If you go to the Oscars Fan Favorite website, you will be brought to two separate options that allow you to fill out your favorite movie of 2021 and Oscars moment, respectively. Three people who participate in the program, which is also taking place on the Academy’s Twitter, will win a trip to the 95th Academy Awards in 2023.
According to Variety, the results of these categories will be revealed live during the ceremony on Sunday, March 27. Maybe this is the Academy’s way of finding a way to institute the ill-fated “Popular Movie” Oscar category announced in 2018.
The Oscars Will Return To The Dolby Theatre After A More Toned-Down 2021 Ceremony
There were a lot of memorable moments at 2021 Academy Awards, but with the smaller audience, later-than-usual date, and general sense of uneasiness concerning the ongoing pandemic (which still hasn’t fully subsided), things felt a little off. On top of that, the Oscars weren’t held at the Dolby Theatre for the first time since moving to the then-Kodak Theatre in 2002, but instead at Union Station.
Well, the 2022 Academy Awards ceremony will be going back to its longtime home in Hollywood with a full-capacity show for the first time since the 2020 Oscars, which took place just weeks before the world essentially shut down. Shortly after the February 2022 announcement, Deadline reported that those in attendance might not have to wear masks if California ends its indoor mandates. Expect to hear more closer to the event itself.
The Films With The Most Nominations At The 94th Academy Awards
When the 2022 Academy Award nominations were revealed in February 2022, there were some movies (The Power of the Dog, anyone?) that received a ton of recognition, but which films will be up for the most awards come March 27? Well, let’s break that down so you can see for yourself.
No surprise here, but Jane Campion’s western drama received a total of 12 nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Supporting Actor (two in that category), and several others. Denis Villeneuve’s masterpiece Dune isn’t far behind with 10 nods, including Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Editing, though the visionary filmmaker was left out of the Best Director category. Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast is nominated for seven awards, and the Will Smith-led King Richard is up for six.
Will The Power of the Dog pull off the near-impossible and sweep all 12 categories, or will one of the under-the-radar films like Coda or Drive My Car come in and spoil things for one of the best Netflix movies in recent memory? We’ll just have to wait and see when the 94th Academy Awards air live, Sunday, March 27 on ABC. And, if all this cinema talk has you wanting to know what else is coming out this year, we have you covered with our list of all the 2022 movie releases.
