No virtual ceremony for Oscars 2021 as Academy says 'in-person telecast' will happen

The Oscars 2021 will not be a virtual event and will be organized traditionally as an “in-person telecast,” according to a report from Variety.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences moved the 73rd Academy Awards ceremony to April 25, 2021, so that theaters would be open again in the spring, which will allow more films to compete in the awards, the report said.

"The Oscars in-person telecast will happen," Variety here reported on Tuesday, citing a representative from the Academy.

The Academy Awards are traditionally held at the 3,400-seater Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. But because of the coronavirus pandemic, the number of people who will be allowed to attend is unclear.

“The Academy has done a walkthrough of the Dolby recently to see all the multiple options,” the report added, citing an awards publicist familiar with the situation.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and Walt Disney Co -owned broadcaster ABC did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Television’s Emmy Awards in September were a virtual-only ceremony. Including the host Jimmy Kimmel, only production staff and a handful of stars were allowed inside the event venue at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles.