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BEVERLY HILLS, California – After years of declining viewership which culminated in an all time ratings low at last year's 80th Academy Awards, Oscars organisers have promised a bold new approach to revamp Hollywood's annual extravaganza.
The 81st Oscars which will take place on February 22, will be injected with some daring new tweaks, said Sid Ganis President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences at a star-studded luncheon on Monday.
Though details of the planned changes are kept tightly under wraps, viewers can definitely expect one major change: The Sexiest Man Alive - Australian actor Hugh Jackman - as the host of the show, a departure from the recent tradition of using popular comedians as comperes.
Other changes which could take effect might include the removal of the ceremony’s opening monologue and the decision to keep “canned” segments to a minimum.
The identities of this year's presenters have also been kept a secret, unlike previous years where the Academy revealed presenters in the weeks building up to the ceremony.
According to the New York Times, producers are also asking studios to provide scenes from future films to boost the appeal of the show. As many as two dozen 10-second clips from new movies will be revealed during the telecast.
Audiences can expect this year’s Oscars to be a shootout between Mumbai-set romance “Slumdog Millionaire,” which has 10 nominations, and “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” with 13.
- CNA/km
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