The principal creative team behind the strongly-rated and Emmy-winning 96th Oscars telecast — minus its host, Jimmy Kimmel, and his personal producer and wife, Molly McNearney — are returning for the 97th Oscars telecast, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Monday.
For the Sunday, March 2, 2025 broadcast on ABC, Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan will be back as executive producers — Kapoor will also be showrunner — and Hamish Hamilton will once again serve as director, Academy CEO Bill Kramer and president Janet Yang said in a statement.
This will be Kapoor and Mullan’s second time and Hamilton’s fifth time in these positions.
A host for the 97th Oscars has yet to be announced.
Much of the rest of the creative team from the 96th Oscars will also be back for the 97th, including production designers Misty Buckley and Alana Billingsley (who won Emmys for their work on the 96th) and red carpet show executive producer David Chamberlin.
Music director Michael Bearden is joining the team for the first time.
“We are delighted to announce the return of our incredibly dynamic and creative Oscars team, Raj, Katy, Hamish, Misty, Alana and Dave, and we are thrilled to announce the addition of the brilliant Michael Bearden,” Kramer and Yang said. “Their love for cinema, their collective creative vision and their unparalleled expertise in live television make them the perfect team to create an exceptional show for our global audience on the film industry’s biggest night.”
Kapoor and Mullan weighed in, “We are thrilled to lead the brilliant Oscars production team again and work alongside the Academy and Disney/ABC to help create an unforgettable night of television for movie lovers worldwide. We hope to continue to inspire and connect new generations to share our love for the art of filmmaking and celebrate all the incredible artists who are Oscar-nominated this year.”
Rob Mills, Walt Disney Television’s executive VP, unscripted and alternative entertainment, added, “Last year’s show was a tremendous success in no small part to the creative vision of Raj, Katy, Hamish and their teams. We are excited to have them back and can’t wait for what’s in store for the 97th telecast.”
