Oscars will go on as planned with ‘special moments’ acknowledging L.A. wildfires, Academy says

The Motion Picture Academy has confirmed that the Oscars will go on as scheduled.

“After consultation with ABC, our board, and other key stakeholders in the Los Angeles and film communities, we have made the carefully considered decision to proceed with the 97th Oscars ceremony as planned on March 2,” Academy Chief Executive Officer Bill Kramer said in a statement.

“This year’s ceremony will include special moments acknowledging those who fought so bravely against the wildfires. We feel that we must go forward to support our film community and to use our global platform to bring attention to these critical moments in our history. The spirit of Los Angeles and our film community has always been one of resilience, and the Oscars represent not just a celebration of film, but the industry’s strength and unity in the face of adversity.”

The wildfires that have ravaged the Los Angeles region had fueled recent speculation that the ceremony might be canceled or postponed, as have other awards shows, including the Critics Choice Awards. The statement finally puts those rumors to rest.

The Academy has in recent days made several changes to the voting calendar, including extending the voting window, pushing back the nomination announcement until Jan. 23, canceling the annual Oscar nominee luncheon canceled, and postponing the Scientific and Technical Awards indefinitely. The Oscar ceremony has never been canceled in the Academy’s history.