Hollywood's biggest night has arrived and there are different ways to tune in
Credit: Frank Micelotta/Disney via Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- The 98th Academy Awards is happening on March 15
- The ceremony begins at 7 p.m. ET, with red carpet coverage in the hours leading up to the special event
- The 2026 Oscars will air on ABC, and the broadcast will also stream live online
Get ready to see gold!
In January 2026, Sinners became the most nominated film in Oscars history, earning an astonishing 16 nods. Now, nearly a year after Ryan Coogler's vampire thriller hit theaters, the 98th Academy Awards are finally here.
Sinners is just one of the many movies being recognized at this year's Oscars. Other titles include One Battle After Another, Marty Supreme, Frankenstein and Hamnet.
Conan O'Brien is back to host the awards ceremony for a second year in a row.
"It's a really fun gig, and I had a lot of fun, and I just wanted to do it again. And then the movies this year have been insane," he told Extra. "It was such a great year for movies that I'm excited to be even a small part of it."
So, ahead of Hollywood's biggest night, here's where to watch the Oscars and how to stream the awards show.
When are the 2026 Oscars?
Credit: Richard Harbaugh/The Academy via Getty
The 2026 Oscars are taking place on March 15, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
"It’s a celebration of an entire industry and people from every walk of life who give their blood, sweat and tears for show business," O'Brien told PEOPLE in February 2025, ahead of his first Oscars hosting gig.
What time does red carpet coverage start for the 2026 Oscars?
Credit: Gilbert Flores/Variety/Penske Media via Getty
The Oscars is a highly-anticipated event, so there is wall-to-wall coverage even before the actual ceremony begins.
To see all of the glitz and glam, check out the red carpet preshows featuring unforgettable fashion moments and memorable interviews with the nominated stars.
E!'s red carpet coverage, Live From E!: Oscars 2026, will start at 4 p.m. ET. It will air on the network's cable channel and be streamed on Peacock.
ABC will have its own preshow, On the Red Carpet at the Oscars, starting at 3:30 p.m. ET. The afternoon telecast will be followed by the official live red carpet show, starting at 6:30 p.m. ET.
What time do the 2026 Oscars start?
Credit: Monica Schipper/WireImage
The 2026 Oscars start at 7 p.m. ET.
The 98th Academy Awards features a new category — Best Casting — and the ceremony will include an extended "in memoriam" segment, with a special tribute to Rob Reiner.
"It's going to be a very powerful part of the show," O'Brien told Extra, when he arrived to help roll out the red carpet on March 12.
Where can I watch the 2026 Oscars?
Credit: Scott Kirkland/Disney via Getty
The 2026 Oscars will air live on ABC.
Teasing what viewers can expect from this year's Academy Awards broadcast, showrunner and executive producer Raj Kapoor told Indiewire, "Conan has some amazing pieces that are just going to unfold throughout the evening, and if anything, he’s going bigger, and his creativity has been unleashed to a new level."
How can I stream the 2026 Oscars?
Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty
The 2026 Oscars are airing on ABC, but it will also be streamed live on Hulu.
The 2025 Academy Awards was the first time the ceremony was streamed live on the platform.
Read the full article here
