Oscars Viewership Plummets to Four-Year Low in the US, Defying High Hopes
Despite anticipation that blockbuster films would boost audience numbers, the Oscars ceremony in the US experienced a significant decline in viewership, reaching a four-year low. The telecast on ABC and Hulu attracted 17.9 million viewers, marking a 9% drop from last year's 19.7 million. Many had expected that the popularity of major hits like Sinners and One Battle After Another would translate into higher ratings, but these hopes were dashed as the numbers fell short.
Box Office Success Fails to Translate to TV Ratings
The 2025 Oscars had seen a five-year high, which was attributed to a post-Covid resurgence in cinema interest. This year, however, the film that dominated the awards, Sean Baker's Anora, was not a major box office player, grossing $20 million in the US—a healthy sum for an arthouse release but modest compared to Ryan Coogler's Sinners at $280 million and Paul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another at $72 million. Internationally, One Battle After Another overperformed, bringing its global total to $210 million, while Sinners landed softer overseas with a worldwide total of $370 million.
Audience Approval and Competitive Landscape
Audience approval ratings for the Oscars show also declined, averaging 3.92 out of five among the 18-49 age group, down from 4.54 last year but up from 3.82 in 2024. Despite this, the Oscars remain the US's number one primetime entertainment telecast for the 2025-26 season. Rivals such as the Golden Globes drew 8.66 million viewers, a 6% year-on-year drop, and the Grammys also fell 6% to 14.4 million. On a positive note, social impressions for the broadcast increased by 42% to 184 million, with Academy social platforms also seeing growth.
Host Conan O'Brien Invited to Return Amid Technical Issues
Rob Mills, the Disney executive overseeing the Oscars telecast, expressed satisfaction with Conan O'Brien's performance as host for the second consecutive year. In an interview with Variety, Mills stated that O'Brien is welcome to host again next year if he desires. The broadcast faced criticism for audio glitches and perceived heavy-handed time-saving measures, particularly the cutting short of acceptance speeches, including one by Golden composer Yu-Han Lee. Mills acknowledged these issues, noting, "I don't know what the most elegant solution is, but it's obviously something we should look really, really long and hard at."
Future Broadcast Plans and Satirical Commentary
The Oscars will continue to air on ABC and Hulu for two more years before moving to YouTube in 2029, following their 100th edition in 2028. YouTube will hold the rights until at least 2033. During the ceremony, O'Brien appeared to mock this deal in a skit where his address was repeatedly interrupted by faux-ads featuring comedy actor Jane Lynch, highlighting the evolving landscape of entertainment broadcasting.
