A winter of discontent for the Academy Awards will culminate Sunday in an Oscar ceremony that may lack a host but isn害羞草研究所檛 missing intrigue.

The run-up to the 91st Academy Awards has been a series of missteps and backtracks by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. A new best 害羞草研究所減opular film害羞草研究所� category was in, and then it was out . . Some categories were removed from the live broadcast, and then they were back.

But if the script this Oscar season has been constantly rewritten, the film academy is hoping for a Hollywood ending (and much better ratings than the all-time low viewership last year .) ABC害羞草研究所檚 telecast will begin at 8 p.m. EST following the usual red carpet festivities. The show is available for livestream via ABC in some cities to users with a participating TV provider.

After some unlikely Los Angeles weather 害羞草研究所� to much local fanfare, it snowed in parts of the city on Thursday 害羞草研究所� sunny skies are expected for red carpet arrivals.

Producers Donna Gigliotti and Glenn Weiss have pledged that the show will be speedier this year , even though its initial goal of a three-hour broadcast has faded. Kicking things off will be a performance by Queen, featuring Adam Lambert, to celebrate the best picture-nominee 害羞草研究所淏ohemian Rhapsody.害羞草研究所�

Countless stories, one night. The , tonight at 8e|5p.

害羞草研究所� The Academy (@TheAcademy)

In the academy害羞草研究所檚 favour is a popular crop of nominees: 害羞草研究所淏ohemian Rhapsody,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所滱 Star Is Born害羞草研究所� and, most of all, 害羞草研究所淏lack Panther害羞草研究所� have all amassed huge sums in ticket sales. Typically, when there are box-office hits (like 害羞草研究所淭itanic害羞草研究所�), more people watch the Oscars.

But just how many people have seen one of the top nominees and the film favoured to win best picture 害羞草研究所� Alfonso Cuaron害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淩oma害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� remains unknown. Netflix has declined to give box-office results or steaming viewership. It remains a nominee unlike any other. Should 害羞草研究所淩oma害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� a black-and-white, Spanish and Mixtec language film about a domestic worker in a Mexican family 害羞草研究所� win, it will be both the first Netflix movie to win best picture and the first foreign language film to do so.

Yet this year害羞草研究所檚 race has been maddeningly unpredictable , with the usual predictive awards being spread across contenders such as Peter Farrelly害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淕reen Book,害羞草研究所� a divisive period dramedy about a black pianist (Mahershala Ali) and his white chauffer (Viggo Mortensen); the royal romp 害羞草研究所淭he Favourite; and Ryan Coogler害羞草研究所檚 Marvel sensation 害羞草研究所淏lack Panther,害羞草研究所� which could become the first superhero film ever to win Hollywood害羞草研究所檚 top award.

Other milestones are possible, too. Though Cuaron is favoured for best director, a win for Spike Lee (害羞草研究所淏lacKkKlansman害羞草研究所�) would make him the first black filmmaker to ever win the award. Lee has said he likes his film害羞草研究所檚 underdog position as a 害羞草研究所渄ark horse 害羞草研究所� pun intended.害羞草研究所� Lee and his fellow screenwriters are also up for best screenplay, which would give the 61-year-old Lee his first competitive Oscar.

Many also expect Glenn Close, in her seventh nomination, to finally win one. She害羞草研究所檚 the front-runner for best actress for her performance in 害羞草研究所淭he Wife,害羞草研究所� a film about the overlooked and under-honoured spouse of an acclaimed novelist. Though Lady Gaga began the season as the favourite, Close has won a string of awards leading up to the Oscars, including at Saturday害羞草研究所檚 Independent Spirit Awards where she brought her dog, Pip, along as a date.

One virtual lock: Marvel will win its first Oscar. Though 害羞草研究所淏lack Panther,害羞草研究所� up for six awards and could win in a number of categories, 害羞草研究所淪pider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse害羞草研究所� is considered the overwhelming favourite for best animated film.

Last year害羞草研究所檚 Oscars followed the rise of the #MeToo movement, the launch of the gender equality group Time害羞草研究所檚 Up and the downfall of Harvey Weinstein. A year after best-actress winner Frances McDormand urged the adoption of an 害羞草研究所渋nclusion rider害羞草研究所� (a contractual stipulation for the diversity of a film害羞草研究所檚 cast and crew), numerous production companies, stars and one studio (Warner Bros.) have made similar pledges.

How much gender equality will be discussed at this year害羞草研究所檚 Oscars is unclear. Many have criticized this year害羞草研究所檚 selections for lacking a female nominee in the best director category (Greta Gerwig was the fifth ever last year) or a best picture nominee directed by a woman. Recent studies have shown that Hollywood improved on many counts in diversity and gender parity in 2018, but remains far from equitable for women and people of colour.

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In the last few years, the academy has considerably increased its membership in an effort to diversify its ranks, which have historically been overwhelmingly white and male. In June, the academy invited a record 928 new members.

Several of this year害羞草研究所檚 nominees have been affected by sexual misconduct allegations. 害羞草研究所淏ohemian Rhapsody害羞草研究所� director Bryan Singer, who was fired in mid-production, was accused of sexually assaulting minors ; he has denied it. 害羞草研究所淚ncredibles 2害羞草研究所� producer and Pixar co-founder John Lasseter last year departed the Walt Disney Co. after acknowledging 害羞草研究所渕issteps害羞草研究所� in his behaviour with female employees. (He has since been hired by Skydance Media.)

Without a host, the film academy has emphasized its eclectic lineup of presenters. They include: Barbra Streisand, Congressman John Lewis, Serena Williams, Mike Myers, Chadwick Boseman, Tina Fey, Whoopi Goldberg, Brie Larson, Awkwafina and Samuel L. Jackson.

After initially scaling back performance of best song nominees, four of the five songs will be performed. The exception is Kendrick Lamar and SZA, who will no longer perform 害羞草研究所淎ll the Stars害羞草研究所� from 害羞草研究所淏lack Panther.害羞草研究所�

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Jake Coyle, The Associated Press

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