How Long Is the Oscars 2021? When Does It Start & End?

ABC On April 25, the 93rd Oscars® air on ABC at 8 p.m. EDT/5 p.m. PDT.

Movies’ biggest night is finally here as The 93rd Oscars is set to air tonight on ABC. The live broadcast will begin at 8 p.m. EDT/5 p.m. PDT and last for three hours, ending at 11 p.m. EDT/8 p.m. PDT.

Aside from the delayed airdate, this year’s show will look a little different amid the coronavirus pandemic- including being held at two venues. In addition to its usual home at the Dolby Theater, it will also take place at Union Station in Los Angeles.

The Oscars’ producers, Jesse Collins, Stacey Sher and Steven Soderbergh announced Glenn Weiss would serve as the shows’ director. “Our plan is that this year’s telecast will look like a movie not a television show, and Glenn has embraced this approach and come up with ideas of his own on how to achieve this,” they said in a press release. “We’re thrilled to have him as part of the brain trust.”

Here’s what you need to know:

The Show Has Been Capped at 3 Hours Since 2018

This year’s show will last for three hours, a trend that started in 2018. At the time, The Academy of Motion Pictures announced changes on Twitter, including, “We’re planning a more globally accessible, three-hour telecast.”

This is a stark contrast from the first ceremony in 1929 which ran for 15 minutes, according to DidYouKnow.org. They also logged the longest show as four hours and 16 minutes in 2000.

ABC Will Air ‘Oscars’ Programming Throughout the Day

Leading up to The Oscars, ABC will be airing additional programming.

The Oscars Countdown, Live! will be “Highlighting the transformative year in Hollywood at Los Angeles’ Union Station, including the impressive careers of the nominees and a special tribute to best actor nominee Chadwick Boseman.” Hosted by ABC’s Chris Connelly and Janai Norman, the three-hour special will air from 1- 4 p.m. EDT/10 a.m. – 1 p.m. PDT.

The direct lead-in to the awards show is Oscars: Into the Spotlight hosted by Ariana DeBose and Lil Rel Howery and featuring an appearance by DJ Tara. According to ABC’s description of the event, “Celeste, H.E.R., Leslie Odom Jr., Laura Pausini, Daniel Pemberton, Molly Sandén and Diane Warren perform Oscar-nominated original songs.”

This year’s broadcast will also be followed up by the hour-long special, Oscars: After Dark hosted by Colman Domingo and Andrew Rannells. It will also feature film critic Elvis Mitchell, for “a recap of the evening’s must-see moments.”

E! will also feature pre-Oscar specials throughout the day, starting at 3 p.m. EDT/12 p.m. PDT.

This is the First ‘Oscars’ With Audio Descriptions for the Blind

Not only will The Oscars feature closed captioning for viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing, but for the first time in the award show’s history, audio descriptions will be available for blind or low vision audiences.

Google is sponsoring these accessibility accommodations as a part of “the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ efforts to broaden access to The 93rd Oscars,” ABC announced in a press release.

“Google is committed to making the world a more accessible place by working to ensure disabled people are represented in the stories we tell and the products we build,” the press release quoted KR Liu, head of Brand Accessibility. “We are excited to do our part in making this year’s Oscars accessible for everyone by helping to make audio descriptions and captions available for viewers.”

This year’s show will be accessed in more than 200 countries and territories.

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