In a landmark decision that reshapes the future of Hollywood’s most prestigious ceremony, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced a dual transformation for the Oscars. Beginning in 2029, the Academy Awards will depart their longtime home at the Dolby Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard and relocate to the Peacock Theater within the L.A. LIVE complex in downtown Los Angeles. This strategic move coincides with a revolutionary shift in broadcasting, as the ceremony will abandon traditional network television for a global, free live stream on YouTube.
The multi-year partnership with entertainment giant AEG, announced by Academy CEO Bill Kramer and President Lynette Howell Taylor, marks a significant homecoming. The Peacock Theater, with its expanded seating capacity, returns the Oscars to a more centralized location, reminiscent of its earlier venues like the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and Shrine Auditorium. Todd Goldstein, AEG’s Chief Revenue Officer, emphasized that L.A. LIVE was specifically designed to host culturally defining global events, pledging to create an unparalleled experience that celebrates cinematic creativity and excellence.
This relocation, an eight-mile journey away from the iconic Hollywood sign, concludes a 27-year tenure at the Dolby Theatre (formerly the Kodak Theatre), which has hosted the ceremony since 2002 amidst the storied Hollywood Walk of Fame. The final Oscars broadcast on ABC will be the centennial ceremony in 2028, held at the Dolby Theatre, before the dual transition to a new venue and streaming platform takes effect the following year. Academy leadership praised AEG’s unrivaled expertise in operating technologically sophisticated live performance venues, signaling a new era for the globally watched event.