Oscars Moving Downtown: Academy Awards to Leave Dolby Theatre for L.A. Live in 2029
A major deal struck by the film Academy and AEG will move the film industry's biggest night from its home since 2002 to the venue that has hosted the Primetime Emmys since 2008.
Oscars Relocating From Hollywood's Dolby Theatre to Downtown's L.A. Live in 2029
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has reached a landmark agreement with entertainment giant AEG to move the annual Academy Awards ceremony from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood to the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles beginning in 2029. The deal marks the end of a nearly three-decade run at the Dolby Theatre, which has served as the permanent home of the Oscars since 2002 and was originally designed with the ceremony in mind. The move represents one of the most significant logistical shifts in the history of the film industry's most prestigious awards show.
The Peacock Theater, situated within the sprawling L.A. Live entertainment complex near the Los Angeles Convention Center, is no stranger to major televised events. The venue has hosted the Primetime Emmy Awards since 2008, along with numerous concerts, sporting events, and other high-profile gatherings. Industry insiders say the larger footprint of the L.A. Live campus offers greater flexibility for the elaborate red carpet arrivals, production staging, and security operations that the modern Oscars broadcast demands.
Academy officials and AEG executives reportedly worked on the deal for months, with both sides expressing enthusiasm about the partnership. The move is expected to bring significant economic benefits to the downtown Los Angeles area, which has undergone substantial revitalization efforts in recent years. The transition also opens questions about the future of the Dolby Theatre, which was built as part of the Hollywood and Highland complex specifically to give the Oscars a permanent address after years of rotating between various venues across the city.
The relocation is sure to spark debate among film industry veterans and Oscar enthusiasts who have long associated the ceremony with the heart of Hollywood. However, supporters of the move argue that the downtown venue offers modernized facilities and a more dynamic setting befitting the evolving nature of the broadcast. The Academy is expected to release additional details about the transition timeline and any planned renovations to the Peacock Theater in the coming months as preparations begin for the 2029 ceremony.