There might not be the usual global array of actors and actresses walking the red carpet at this year's Oscars, but the ceremony will still have plenty of star power.
The Academy Awards has announced an A-list roster of presenters who will appear at the April 25 event, and organisers are certainly bringing out the big guns.
The event, which will take place in-person at Los Angeles' Union Station, will welcome a number of stars to the venue, while also allowing overseas nominees to dial in from hubs in the UK and France.
Parasite director Bong Joon-ho, 2020's Best Actor winner Joaquin Phoenix, Indiana Jones star Harrison Ford and 2006 Best Actress winner Reese Witherspoon are among the slate of 15 celebrities lined up for presenting duties.
In a statement announcing the Oscars' "truly stellar cast of stars" on Monday, the producers warned: "There's so much wattage here, sunglasses may be required."
Also rounding out the star-studded line-up is Halle Berry, Angela Bassett, Don Cheadle, Bryan Cranston, Laura Dern, Regina King, Marlee Matlin, Rita Moreno, Brad Pitt, Renee Zellweger and Zendaya.
Departing from the 2021 awards season's mostly Zoom-centric ceremonies, the 93rd Academy Awards look set to be the glitziest bash since the Covid-19 pandemic caused global lockdowns from March 2020.
The Oscars, which this year have been delayed by two months because of the pandemic, are being broadcast from Union Station and the Oscars' traditional Hollywood base at the Dolby Theatre, where some live musical performances are expected to take place.
Show producers Steven Soderbergh, Jesse Collins and Stacey Sher have promised to put on a show, with an "awards-show-as-a-movie" theme, according to Monday's statement.
Organisers have previously spoken of their desire for a ceremony that "will look like a movie, not a television show", promising a spectacular introduction and planning to film the proceedings in high-resolution, widescreen format.
The night will, however, have safety measures in place, with attendees told to quarantine for 10 days prior to the show and a rotation of stars allowed in and out of rooms throughout the evening.
- Additional reporting from AFP