In 2029, the Oscars ceremony will be relocated from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, where it has been held since 2002, to the Peacock Theater at L.A. LIVE in downtown Los Angeles, the home of the Primetime Emmy Awards since 2008. The relocation is part of a new 10-year deal struck between the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and AEG, the two organizations announced on Thursday.
That 2029 Oscars — the Academy’s 101st — will also be the first broadcast via YouTube, as part of another deal struck late last year.
AEG, the developer and owner of numerous high-profile venues sports and entertainment venues around the world, will preside over significant enhancements to the Peacock Theater prior to the Oscars relocation, including upgrades to its stage, sound and lighting systems, lobbies, backstage facilities and additional production-critical areas. AEG also “will collaborate closely with the Academy to incorporate bespoke design elements needed to accommodate the Oscars ceremony,” according to the announcement.
L.A. LIVE, the 23-acre, 4-million-square-foot sports and entertainment district, recently expanded its plaza, which will host the Oscars’ red carpet arrivals and activities. And significantly more people will be able to attend the Oscars ceremony at the Peacock Theater, which currently seats 7,100, compared with the Dolby Theatre, which seats 3,400. (By the time of the move, the Peacock Theater may go by a different name — its naming rights come up for grabs in 2028.)
“We are thrilled to partner with a global powerhouse like AEG,” Academy CEO Bill Kramer and president Lynette Howell Taylor said in a statement. “Their track record for building and operating technologically sophisticated live performance venues is unrivaled. For the 101st Oscars and beyond, the Academy looks forward to closely collaborating with AEG to make L.A. LIVE the perfect backdrop for our global celebration of cinema, both for our live in-theater audience and for film fans around the world.”
Added AEG chief revenue officer Todd Goldsten: “L.A. LIVE was built to host the moments that define culture, and there is no greater global stage than the Oscars. We’re proud to partner with the Academy to reimagine what the Oscars can look and feel like in the years ahead. Together, we will create an environment that celebrates creativity, honors excellence, and delivers an unforgettable experience for movie fans everywhere.”
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