Oscar will welcome back several familiar faces as the 96th ceremony steams along, with Emmy-winning TV producer Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan tapped as showrunner and executive producer, and director Hamish Hamilton returning to direct for the fourth time, with an aim to broadcast the live telecast in over 200 countries worldwide.
Much of the creative team behind the 2022 fete will be back for more, including creative director Kenny Gravillis, production designers Misty Buckley and Alana Billingsley, red carpet show executive producer David Chamberlin, and red carpet creative consultants Lisa Love and Raúl Àvila.
“Raj and Hamish have been incredible collaborators, and we are delighted to welcome them and Katy to lead the 96th Oscars,” Academy CEO and president Bill Kramer and Janet Yang said in a joint statement. “Their deep love of cinema, fresh vision, and tremendous live television expertise is perfect for our reinvigorated show. We’re excited to work with them and our remarkable creative team to deliver an exceptional show for audiences worldwide.”
Kapoor is a six-time Emmy nominee who picked up a statuette for producing the 2022 CBS special “Adele: One Night Only.” Mullan’s recent credits include “Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration” and the London Olympics opening and closing night ceremonies.
“As a Canadian boy of South Asian descent and a girl from London who grew up watching the Oscars, dreaming of being part of it, this is a ‘pinch me’ moment!” said Kapoor and Mullan. “This has been an exceptional year for the movies, and it’s an absolute privilege to be leading the team celebrating the global film industry and the astounding talents that bring these cinematic stories to life. We’re dedicated to making it a remarkable celebration for all.”
Hamilton is an 11-time Emmy nominee — with two of those for directing the 86th and 87th Oscars — but the longtime TV veteran has yet to win. Buckley and Billingsley both earned Emmy nominations for their work on the 95th Oscars, and the latter has three Emmys for production design of past Oscar and Grammy ceremonies.
The 96th Oscars will air March 10, 2024, on ABC and will take place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
