Hollywood Loses Its Biggest Night: The Oscars Will Leave in 2029
The Oscars will exit the Dolby Theatre in 2029 after more than two decades on Hollywood Boulevard, ending an era and steering the ceremony to a new Los Angeles venue.
Well, here’s one for the Hollywood record books: after more than 20 years parked comfortably at the Dolby Theatre, the Oscars are officially packing up and heading to a new location. And this isn’t just a venue swap — there’s a whole new era about to start in 2029, and honestly, it’s unexpected, even for the Academy.
The Dolby Era Is Ending
If you’re used to watching stars walk that famous staircase at Hollywood and Highland, get ready to update your mental geography. The Academy Awards, aka the Oscars, are leaving the Dolby Theatre after the 2028 ceremony. That’ll be the big 100th anniversary show, so at least they’re finishing that part of their legacy right where they started in 2002.
The New Home: Peacock Theater
Starting with the 101st Oscars in 2029, the show relocates to downtown Los Angeles at the Peacock Theater (some locals still know it as the Microsoft Theater, but hey, branding waits for no one). This is thanks to a long-term partnership between the Academy and AEG, the people who run the L.A. Live complex. And they’re not doing this half-heartedly: the deal locks the Oscars in at the Peacock through at least 2039.
A Quick Breakdown of What’s Changing
- Old Spot: Dolby Theatre (Hollywood Blvd)
- Final Year at Dolby: 2028 (100th Oscars)
- New Spot: Peacock Theater (L.A. Live, downtown L.A.)
- First Year at Peacock: 2029 (101st Oscars)
- Contract Length: 10 years (2029–2039, at least)
- Other Perks: Bigger seating capacity, flashier plaza for red carpet arrivals
- Venue Upgrades: AEG is updating the stage, audio and lighting, backstage, lobbies — basically a full venue tune-up, all designed to fit the Oscar spectacle
Something Even Bigger: How You’ll Watch
This is the weirdest pivot: the Oscars are also leaving ABC, which has been the home of the show for decades. In 2029, the whole event moves to YouTube. That’s right—Oscars on YouTube, streaming to the whole internet, officially. If you love channel-surfing while you trash celebrity outfits, you’ll have to learn how to open a browser tab.
Why the Move?
On the practical side, the Peacock Theater has more seats (read: more celebrities, more selfies), and the outdoor plaza at L.A. Live will now serve as the new red carpet catwalk. On top of that, the partnership gives the Academy a chance to tweak the whole production experience, with AEG revamping everything from lighting to lobbies and collaborating on the visual setup so it suits the Oscars’ level of glitz.
In the Academy’s Words
If you want the official company line, here’s the core of what Academy CEO Bill Kramer and President Lynette Howell Taylor said:
‘For the 101st Oscars and beyond, the Academy looks forward to closely collaborating with AEG to make L.A. Live the perfect backdrop for our global celebration of cinema, both for our live in-theater audience and for film fans around the world.’
My Take
It’s not every day you see an institution like the Oscars leave Hollywood for downtown—or trade TV tradition for streaming. Some will call it modernization, some will say it’s an identity crisis, but either way, it’s a big swing. Whether this makes the show fresher or just different remains to be seen, but one thing’s for sure: Oscars night will never look quite the same again.