Awards season is in full swing, and this year’s Academy Awards promises to be bigger than ever before. Celebrating its 90th anniversary, the Oscars will be hosted by talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, for the second year in a row. According to Oscar.go.com, Kimmel said hosting this ceremony has been the highlight of his career and is grateful for the opportunity. “If you think we screwed up the ending this year, wait until you see what we have planned for the 90th anniversary show!” Kimmel said jokingly in a statement following ABC’s announcement, referencing the infamous misreading of the Best Picture Award winner last year (It turned out to be “Moonlight” instead of “La La Land,” a major blunder).
The nominees for this year’s extravaganza are groundbreaking. Guillermo del Toro’s “The Shape of Water” leads the pack with 13 nominations, including Best Picture. The three main stars of the film—Richard Jenkins, Sally Hawkins and Octavia Spencer—are all eligible for achievements in acting. Coming in at second place with eight nods is Christopher Nolan’s “Dunkirk.” Nolan, whose previous credits include “The Dark Knight” and “Inception,” received his first nomination as best director this year. “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” by Martin Mcdonagh is up for seven nominations. The star of the film, Frances McDormand, is eligible for her second Oscar in a leading performance; her previous win for the title was in 1997 for “Fargo,” co-directed by her husband, Joel Coen. Veteran actor Christopher Plummer is nominated for best actor in a leading role for his performance in “All the Money in the World.” At 88 years old, Plummer is the oldest actor to be nominated for an Academy Award. The 90th Annual Academy Awards will air on Sunday, March 4 at 8 p.m. on ABC.