Oscars Creative Team Previews Marvel Reunion, ‘Sinners’ Tribute and ‘KPop Demon Hunters’

98th Oscars Creative Team – credit Richard Harbaugh_The Academy (2).jpg

 

Oscars Creative Team Teases Reunions, Global Celebrations, and Big Musical Moments

The creative team behind the 98th Academy Awards is promising a ceremony packed with big reunions, global musical moments and a renewed focus on the human creativity that drives filmmaking. At a press conference ahead of Sunday’s broadcast, host Conan O’Brien joined executive producers Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan to preview what viewers can expect — from a “Bridesmaids” reunion to a Marvel surprise and large-scale performances celebrating films that resonated with audiences around the world.

During the press conference, moderated by Jacqueline Coley, Kapoor and Mullan were joined by music director Michael Bearden, production designer Misty Buckley and supervising choreographer Mandy Moore to discuss the vision for this year’s show.

Among the highlights teased for the broadcast are several major reunions.

As previously announced, Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Melissa McCarthy and Rose Byrne will reunite on stage for a “Bridesmaids” moment. But that isn’t the only reunion planned for the evening.

“We’re going to have superstars, superheroes, and they’re going to be an extraterrestrial on stage,” Mullan said, hinting at a Marvel-themed reunion that will bring together familiar faces from the superhero franchise.

A Show Centered on Humanity

Kapoor said the central theme of this year’s Oscars is humanity, emphasizing creativity and craftsmanship in filmmaking.

“Everything that you see in the show is inspired by human touch and creativity,” Kapoor said.

That idea extends to the visual design of the ceremony. The stage inside the Dolby Theatre has been completely redesigned for this year’s broadcast.

“It’s very immersive,” Kapoor said. “We hope all our nominees are celebrated in a very big way. We have beautiful photos, clips, and nomination packages that a lot of time, thought, and care has gone into.”

Musical Performances With Global Energy

Musical performances will again play a major role in the show. Two of this year’s original song nominees will be performed live: “Golden” from “KPop Demon Hunters” and “I Lied to You” from “Sinners.”

Mandy Moore, who returns to choreograph the Oscar musical numbers, said the creative team wanted the performances to capture the cultural impact of the films rather than simply recreate scenes from them.

For “Golden,” Moore revealed she envisioned a striking visual moment involving gold flags sweeping across the stage.

“I kept having this visual,” Moore said. “After seeing the stage renderings, I thought a beautiful movement with gold flags could create this amazing energy in the space.”

Kapoor added that the performance will celebrate Korean culture with authentic Korean drummers and singers.

“We’re telling global stories,” Kapoor said. “We’re celebrating international films that have had global impact and doing things in a really different way.”

A Major Tribute to “Sinners”

The team is also planning a large-scale tribute to the film “Sinners,” which earned a record 16 Oscar nominations this year.

“There’s going to be a really special moment that celebrates how important that film has been this year and how beloved it is with audiences around the world,” Mullan said.

Kapoor added that costume designer Ruth E. Carter and choreographer Aakomon Jones have been collaborating on the tribute.

“We have the lovely Misty Copeland making an appearance,” Kapoor said. “We have all these talented dancers, and it’s going to be a real celebration, not only of the song, but of the film.”

A Global Oscars Stage

Kapoor noted that this year’s nominees and presenters reflect the increasingly international reach of the Academy Awards.

“The Oscars are about global cinema,” he said. “This is not just a show about North American film. It’s about the best artists from around the world.”

Designing an Accessible Stage

Production designer Misty Buckley emphasized that accessibility played a central role in the stage design.

The new set includes ramps that allow wheelchair access directly to the front of the stage, along with automated elements designed to make transitions seamless during the live broadcast.

“It’s always central to our design thinking that everyone must be able to access the stage,” Buckley said.

Conan O’Brien Walks the Line Between Comedy and Reality

Returning host Conan O’Brien said his goal for the evening is simple: keep the room relaxed while acknowledging the moment the world is living in.

“I’ve never thought of it as my show,” O’Brien said. “My job is to put people at ease and make people laugh.”

He acknowledged that current events inevitably influence the tone of the broadcast but said the challenge is finding the right balance.

“I try to walk a very thin line between entertaining people and acknowledging reality,” he said.

O’Brien added that he and his writers have been developing material for months, though much of it continues to evolve right up until showtime.

“Jokes we wrote two months ago are irrelevant now,” he said. “And something that happens this week might end up in the show.”

The 98th Academy Awards will air Sunday on ABC.