Oscars 2023: Crisis response team, formed after Will Smith's slap last year, to be on hand during ceremony

Hollywood stars will walk a champagne-coloured carpet at the Oscars on Sunday when organizers aim to keep the spotlight on "Everything Everywhere All at Once," "Top Gun: Maverick" and other nominated films that brought crowds back to cinemas.

In case of an unexpected twist, a crisis response team will be on hand at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The group was formed after Will Smith smacked Chris Rock on stage last year, tarnishing the film industry's most prestigious ceremony.

In this, the 95th Oscars, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences hopes to move past the slap and stage a glitzy show with new elements to attract younger viewers and boost sagging TV ratings.

The show will begin at 8pm Eastern time (2400 GMT on Monday) and will be broadcast live on Walt Disney Co's ABC network. Comedian Jimmy Kimmel returns as host for the third time.

Producers said they plan to celebrate the movie-going rebound of the past year, one that some feared may never happen when streaming took hold during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Several of 2022's biggest hits at the multiplex landed in the best picture race, from "Top Gun" and "Everything Everywhere" to "Elvis" and "Avatar: The Way of Water."

"Among our nominees are films that have not just hit the heart but also generated box office," said producer Glenn Weiss. "We're looking to really elevate that point."

The big films on the ballot, rather than some of the little-seen movies nominated in recent years, could help draw more viewers.

Last year, the television audience for the Academy Awards ranked as the second-lowest ever with 16.6 million viewers.

One novelty: QR codes will flash on TV screens ahead of commercial breaks with links to two- to-three minute videos about nominees. Organizers hope that sharing information about the contenders will give viewers people to root for and keep them watching.

To change up the look, organizers swapped out the traditional red carpet for the first time since 1961, opting instead for a champagne colour. The stars' entrance is covered by a dark tent that will give the appearance of nighttime glamour.

"Everything Everywhere All at Once," an offbeat story about a Chinese-American laundromat owner struggling to finish her taxes, comes in as the favorite to win best picture. The dimension-hopping kung fu adventure has swept the major Hollywood awards in the weeks leading up to the Oscars.

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