The 95th Academy Awards are tonight on ABC at 8 p.m. ET, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel. A24’s “Everything Everywhere All at Once” leads the field with 11 nominations, including best picture, original screenplay and directing.
It’s also been a year since The Slap™ heard around the world. Academy of Arts and Sciences Chief Executive Bill Kramer recently shared that he assembled a crisis team to respond to any unexpected moments, so we’ll see if anything crazy happens this year. But that will be hard to top.
Ahead of the ceremony, I brought back Morning Consult media and entertainment analyst Kevin Tran to chat about everything from best picture nominees to how the Oscars can grow its viewership.
What are your takeaways from this year’s nominations?
Tran: One big thing is the strength of original, non-intellectual property movies like “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” which is looking like it’s going to take home the top prize. I think it provides a good amount of hope for movies that aren’t based on existing franchises, especially lower budget ones, to succeed at the box office and in the awards realm.
Another big takeaway is the return of theatrical movies. Only one streaming movie is in the running for best picture, which speaks to how companies are prioritizing box-office revenue right now over streaming subscribers.
Let’s dive deeper into best picture nominees. What are your thoughts on the field?
Tran: It’s a mix of blockbusters and traditional prestige fare, which we don’t really see typically. We have blockbusters like “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Avatar: The Way of Water,” in addition to “Tár” and “The Banshees of Inisherin.” But I think movie length is a big issue this year. “Avatar” is three hours, “Elvis” is almost three hours, “All Quiet on the Western Front” is over two hours. These big runtimes are discouraging to the casual movie fan who might be interested in watching Oscar contenders but don’t want to invest a great amount of time to get caught up on films.
This year there are notably fewer nominations from streaming services like Netflix or Apple, which you pointed out in your memo from earlier this year about why these platforms still need to fight for Oscar wins. How do you think streamers can get back to being in the awards conversation?
Tran: The tough thing is there is only so much streaming services can control. They can be active at these festivals and make acquisitions of films like “CODA,” but if it doesn’t land with the Academy, it won’t pay off. But it is still important to remain active at festivals like Toronto International Film Festival or Sundance, to keep a lookout for potential awards contenders that could help streaming services win Oscars in the years ahead. Fostering relationships with creatives is also important — and keeping an eye out for up and coming talent.
The TV audience for last year’s Oscars broadcast jumped 58% from the year before, but in general viewership for award shows is still on the decline. How do you think the Academy and other groups can reverse the trend?
Tran: We’re on the right track with the mix of films nominated this year. Part of viewership comes down to people not being interested in traditional prestige films that are a bit slower and don’t provide the spectacle that average film fans seek out, with films like “Top Gun” or “Avatar.”
Accessibility is an issue, too. This year’s Oscars are on ABC, and if you don’t have a skinny bundle service or live TV, it’ll be harder for someone to tune in. If there’s a way for subscription streamers to integrate a live broadcast of this stature, that’ll help with viewership.
Outside of the Oscars, here’s what else to look forward to this week:
In the music space, the biggest event is…are you ready for it?
Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour” begins in Glendale, Ariz. on Friday and runs through August 9, ending in Inglewood, Calif. The pop star will be performing her hit songs alongside acts like Paramore, HAIM and Phoebe Bridgers. It is Swift’s first tour since her “Reputation” Stadium Tour in 2018. Who knows, maybe you’ll see me at the New Jersey show in May.
Speaking of, I wrote a story last week about the rise of streaming concert films. And early this week, my colleague (and fellow Swiftie) brands reporter Ellyn Briggs and I will have a story taking a closer look at the Taylor Swift fandom.
Meanwhile, new TV shows and films premiering this week include…
The third and — reportedly final — season of Apple TV+’s sports comedy “Ted Lasso” starring Jason Sudeikis premieres on Wednesday. The show’s second season scored four trophies at the Emmy Awards in September, including a second consecutive win for outstanding comedy series.
Prime Video’s horror thriller series “Swarm,” created by Donald Glover and Janine Nabers, premieres on Friday following its debut at SXSW. The show chronicles a young woman (Dominique Fishback) and her obsession with fictional pop star Marissa (Chloe Bailey), reportedly inspired by Beyoncé and the Beyhive fandom.
Sony Pictures’ sci-fi action film “65,” executive produced by Sam Raimi, hits theaters on Friday and stars Adam Driver as a pilot who crashes into Earth 65 million years ago and encounters prehistoric creatures. It’s giving “Jurassic Park” in space.
Warner Bros. Pictures and DC Studios’ sequel “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” also hits theaters on Friday. The first film made $140.5 million at the domestic box office.
