Oscars 2021 to be 'in-person telecast', will not be held virtually: Report

'The Academy has done a walkthrough of the Dolby recently to see all the multiple options,' the report says

The Oscars 2021 will not be a virtual event and will be organised traditionally as an "in-person telecast," according to a report from Variety.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences moved the 73rd Academy Awards ceremony to April 25, 2021, so that movie theatres would be open again in the spring and would allow more films to compete for the awards, the report said.

"The Oscars in-person telecast will happen," Variety reported on Tuesday, citing a representative from the Academy.

The Academy Awards are traditionally held at the 3,400-seater Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of people who will be allowed to attend is unclear.

"The Academy has done a walkthrough of the Dolby recently to see all the multiple options," the report added, citing an awards publicist familiar with the situation.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and Walt Disney co-owned broadcaster ABC did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

In September, the Emmy Awards for television was conducted as a virtual-only ceremony. Including the host Jimmy Kimmel, only production staff and a handful of stars were allowed inside the event venue at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles.