Director/producer/choreographer Adam Shankman and veteran studio executive Bill Mechanic will produce next years Oscar ceremony scheduled for March 7, 2010. It will be the first Oscar show for both men. Nikki Finke broke the news on her blog this afternoon. For Shankman, the last time he was involved with the Academy Awards was as a dancer. (He appeared in the 1990 show as a “lycra-clad gymnastic pirate” and as Baron Von Munchausen to celebrate The Little Mermaid and the best costume category.) Since then he has directed numerous features including Hairspray, Bedtime Stories and he can be currently seen as a judge on Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance. (Here is one of his more emotional moments on the show.) And Mechanic, who is now chairman and CEO of Pandemonium Films, is a good friend of Tom Sherak’s, the new president of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences. The two used to work together at Twentieth Century Fox, where Mechanic was chairman and CEO from 1994 to 2000 when the studio earned 42 Oscar nominations, including two best picture wins for Braveheart and Titanic. How the duo will handle the 10 Best Picture nominees will be interesting and whether or not they will hold on to the changes that last year’s producers Bill Condon and Larry Mark initiated is still up in the air.
UPDATE: After speaking with Shankman, Mechanic and AMPAS president Sherak, it’s clear the trio’s number-one priority is to provide some levity to a show that’s been taking itself too seriously for years now. “What’s not inherent in the show now is a sense of fun and a sense of celebration,” says Mechanic. Shankman adds, “I want the show to reflect the relevance of our industry as opposed to this individual patting-on-the-back notion. It want it to be about movies having a place in the world, in culture, and it’s not just about looking pretty in jewelry.”
Mechanic came aboard the project last week but Sherak didn’t meet Shankman until a few days ago. “He was one of the people on a list I made and I honestly felt after watching what happened last year with the two producers, that having two people with disciplines that were a bit different (from each other) made for a better show. I want to take what they did last year to the next level. I want what we felt inside the auditorium to translate to the TV,” says Sherak.
How the duo will adapt the show from this year is still up for grabs. Sherak confirmed that the new stage that protruded into the audience will be kept but nothing else is a sure thing, not even the host Hugh Jackman. Sources say the song-and-dance man who received high remarks last year is interested in returning. His name has been thrown around with others, including Billy Crystal and Steve Martin. But the producers are mum. They’ll only joke, “We wanted Johnny Carson and Bob Hope. Neither are available so we’ll have to go from there.”
Ironically, when Shankman appeared on the Oscars 20 years ago, it was Billy Crystal’s first time hosting the show. If the veteran host came back, it would be quite a reunion for everyone.
Photo Credit: Shankman: Carlos Diaz/Retna; Mechanic: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic.com
Comments (1-13) of 13 Add your comment
So Mike and The Mecahnics are playing at the grammy’s? Thats awesome
Isn’t Adam Shankman one of the guys, who wrote the songs for Neil Patrick Harris’ hosting gigs this year…?
*coughs*host*coughs*
Mark Shaiman wrote the songs for Neil Patrick Harris…just like he did for Billy Crystal’s Oscar parody songs. I think he wrote the songs for Hugh Jackman this year, too. Sorry to burst your bubble.
This doesn’t sound good to me. Some reality dance guy and someone who worked at Fox. Fox! The studio that now ruins every movie they produce!
As long as they get Hugh Jackman back as host, they’ll be off to a good start.
say it with me people: THE OSCAR HOST IS….STEPHEN COLBERT or WANDA SYKES (i hope!)
I hope they keep the five previous winner presentation. It gave the show a sense of heart, history, perspective and importance…all without the use of a long and boring clip presentation.
Adam Shankman isn’t “some reality dance guy.” He’s an accomplished dancer, director, and producer. He’s ridiculously talented and has a good eye. You’ve obviously never seen So You Think You Can Dance because the show is miles better than your standard “reality tv” I would love to have hugh jackman back. Other tops would be NPH or John Steward. And of course Billy Crystal would be great.
Total agreement on that score. My fear is that they will drop it for time reasons.
I liked the way much of this year’s show was done, particularly the way they lauded each actor nominated, individually.
When they will get Hugh Jackman back, I am a happy viewer. If not…well, I don´t think I am going to watch. But who cares about me. I think HJ was one of the best hosts ever and I hope his schedule will allow him to go back.
Please, ANYONE but Hugh Jackman! His song and dance schtick makes me cringe. Neil Patrick Harris FTW!
neither! song and dance is too corny for an awards show that isn’t the tonys. a really funny comedian, who can act, is the best choice.