The Academy Awards collect their golden statuettes and leave the Dolby Theater in Hollywood behind.
In a surprising shake-up, the Oscars will move to the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles at LA Live beginning with the 101st ceremony in 2029.
It’s the same year the show makes its unprecedented streaming jump from ABC to YouTube.
The announcement was made on Thursday, March 26, by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and AEG.
It sets the stage for a decade-long partnership that will see the Oscars held in the same venue that has hosted the Emmys in recent years.
The move represents a dramatic return to downtown Los Angeles, where the ceremony once reigned at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and later the Shrine Auditorium, before settling at Hollywood’s Kodak Theater (now Dolby) in 2002.
AEG plans radical improvements to the Peacock Theatre’s stage, sound, lighting and backstage facilities to meet the Oscars’ exacting standards.
LA Live’s expanded plaza will serve as the red carpet centerpiece, promising a show that blends tradition with modernity.
The timing is not a coincidence.
The Academy’s new deal with YouTube, which grants exclusive global streaming rights starting in 2029, signals a bold reinvention of the Oscar brand.
Moving to LA Live, adjacent to the Crypto.com Arena and surrounded by luxury hotels and nightlife, positions the ceremony as a cultural and commercial giant.
Academy CEO Bill Kramer and President Lynette Howell Taylor praised the partnership, saying, “For the 101st Oscars and beyond, the Academy looks forward to working closely with AEG to make LA Live the perfect setting for our global celebration of cinema.”
AEG Chief Revenue Officer Todd Goldstein added his own intrigue: “…there is no bigger global stage than the Oscars. We are proud to partner with the Academy to reimagine what the Oscars will look and feel like for years to come. Together, we will create an environment that celebrates creativity, honors excellence, and delivers an unforgettable experience for film fans everywhere.”
The Oscars will remain at the Dolby Theater until the 100th ceremony in 2028, televised live on ABC.
But after that, the world’s most glamorous night will undergo its most radical transformation in decades.
