The Best Picture Oscar is announced at the very end of the Academy Awards ceremony, as the final award of the night.

Quick Scoop: Timing Basics

  • The Oscars show is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT for the 97th Academy Awards on Sunday, March 2, 2025.
  • Because Best Picture is the last award, it’s typically announced close to the ceremony’s conclusion, usually around the final few minutes of the broadcast.

How the Show Usually Flows

Traditionally, the ceremony builds toward the “big four” categories near the end: Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and finally Best Picture.

So if you’re tuning in mainly for Best Picture, you can expect it after the lead acting awards, near the closing moments of the show.

Example: 97th Oscars (2025)

  • Date: Sunday, March 2, 2025.
  • Start time: 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT on ABC.
  • Best Picture: Announced as the final award during this broadcast window.

In short: watch the end of the show—Best Picture is the Oscars’ “grand finale.” 🎬

TL;DR: Best Picture is always announced last, near the very end of the Oscars broadcast, which for the 97th Oscars runs from 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT on March 2, 2025.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.