Rates and ratings
On the advertising front, the Hulu issues didn’t cause headaches for brands. A source familiar with the matter told ADWEEK that the night was free of advertisers disruptions as the Hulu stream was a “pass-through” of the ABC ad breaks.
That’s good news for advertiseres like Prudential, Poise, and SkinnyPop, which paid between $1.7 and $2.3 million for a 30-second spot—a slight increase from last year’s show.
Equaling or surpassing last year’s show was always going to be a challenge based on the titles in the running for Best Picture. Of the 10 nominees, only Dune: Part Two and Wicked were close to matching Barbie and Oppenheimer in terms of box office. Made for $6 million, Anora grossed a little over $15 million domestically during its theatrical run, a number matched by its closest competitor, The Brutalist.
Meanwhile, the night’s most-nominated film—Netflix’s Spanish-language musical Emilia Pérez—has no reported box office gross since the streamer keeps theatrical runs limited. The drama surrounding that movie, as well as the twists and turns of some of the other too-close-to-call races, seemed poised to drive viewer engagement and excitement in the days leading up to the Oscars.
This year’s results may add fuel to the argument from some quarters that the show’s ratings would benefit from more populist Best Picture picks.
98 and counting
Looking ahead, some populist names are expected to be back in the mix for the 98th Oscars in 2026. This fall’s awards movie cycle brings the first collaboration between Paul Thomas Anderson and Leonardo DiCaprio, as well as James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash, and Wicked: For Good, the second half of Jon M. Chu’s much-nominated musical blockbuster.
Cynthia Erivo and Araina Grande whet our collective appetite for a return to Oz with a show-opening medley of songs from The Wizard of Oz and Wicked on Sunday night. Additional musical moments were provided by the trio of Lisa, Raye, and Doja Cat, who joined forces for a James Bond tribute, and Queen Latifah took center stage for a salute to the dearly-departed Quincy Jones.
That’s the kind of off-the-charts Kenergy that the Oscars can hopefully carry into next year’s show.
