Odds on Who Will Host The 93rd Academy Awards – The Rock, Sascha Baron Cohen Among Contenders

• The 93rd Annual Academy Awards will be held at The Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on April 25, 2021
• With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic affecting the globe, the film industry–and subsequently the Oscars ceremony–have been heavily affected
• The speculation is that this year’s ceremony will have no host. See below for odds and our best bets

For nearly 100 years, Hollywood has honored the best in film with its annual Academy Awards ceremony. The event has changed significantly since the first Oscars were given out in 1929.

This year, a few more changes have been implemented– some of them due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The Sound Mixing and Sound Editing categories have been combined into one trophy. And while the Academy typically requires films to have been shown in a movie theater for seven days to be eligible, those regulations have been loosened to allow home video releases to be nominated given the pandemic.

The awards were also postponed from the original February date to accommodate some wiggle room for the pandemic situation to hopefully improve. But regardless of vaccines or case counts, we can expect the Academy Awards to go on at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on April 25, 2021. The show, after all, must go on.

Odds for Next Host of 93rd Annual Academy Awards

Odds from Nov. 18

No Host With the Most

For the past two years, the Academy Awards have been presented without having an official host in place. While the tradition for award shows is certainly to be presented with a host, the Oscars have opted for a no-host ceremony.

It's true! Next year's #Oscars will happen on April 25, 2021.

Here's what else you need to know:

– The eligibility period for the Oscars will be extended to February 28, 2021
– Nominations will be announced on March 15, 2021
– @AcademyMuseum will open on April 30, 2021 pic.twitter.com/cTsqOfsf8k

— The Academy (@TheAcademy) June 15, 2020

This recent tradition began in 2019. Comedian Kevin Hart was announced to be the host originally but dropped out after some homophobic tweets resurfaced. After Hart left the gig, the Academy decided to go ahead without a host. They followed up in 2020 with the same decision.

Having no host worked for the past two years, but for 2021 things should be switched up given the social climate.

People Need Laughter

While the past two years of host-free Academy Awards have made for a different ceremony than usual, it’s worth noting that the world is quite different now than it was the last time we had an Oscars ceremony.

With civil unrest, political tension, and the ongoing pandemic, what people need right now is comfort and familiarity. Having a comedian in place to host the Academy Awards would be a great beacon of hope for viewers — it also would be more reason for audiences to tune in.

People are stuck at home for the most part, so producers might as well give them a good show. Jimmy Kimmel hosted the recent Emmys virtually. Regardless of where the pandemic is in April, having a host would help keep the Oscars cohesive.

So Who Will It Be?

So many comedians have made a splash this year. With movie theaters still mostly closed, comedy specials and home box office have exploded during the quarantine.

Sacha Baron Cohen’s surprise sequel to Borat made waves and was a hilarious breath of fresh air when it was released to Prime Video this fall. Similarly, Dave Chappelle’s recent Saturday Night Live appearance was also a recent entertainment highlight.

With both stars on the rise, they may be great potential hosts. But both come with specific brands of comedy that may not appeal to all Oscar watchers.

It also makes so much sense to see Dwayne Johnson’s name in the odds as the best bet. Out of any celebrity, he’s probably the most universally beloved. While Cohen and Chappelle’s humor can be a bit polarizing, Johnson is a totally safe bet. He’s popular with all ages.

And if the recent US Election has proven anything, it’s that people want safe and solid right now, not wild and unruly. Landing Johnson in the role of Academy Awards host would be the absolute best decision the producers could make.

Pick: Dwayne Johnson (+900)