Initially having been planned to premiere on February 28th, 2021, the Oscars is now set to air on April 25th, 2021.
Their decision comes after fear of not knowing as to whether or not the pandemic will be over. ABC Entertainment president Karey Burke says, “We find ourselves in uncharted territory this year and will continue to work with our partners at the Academy to ensure next year’s show is a safe and celebratory event.”
This is the fourth time the Oscars have been pushed back to another date. The first time it was delayed was in 1938 due to floods in Los Angeles, then in 1968 after Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination, and in 1981 after an assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan.