Stephen King Proposes Cancellation of the 2025 Oscars Due to Los Angeles Wildfires, Yet Advocates for a More Viable Solution

Hollywood has spent the last week figuring out how to properly operate amid the on-going devastation of the fires in Los Angeles, and one consequence of the horrific natural disaster has been delays in award season: in light of the tragedy, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has both extended the voting period for the Oscars and pushed the scheduled date for nomination announcements (originally January 17, it has now been moved to January 23). These calls were made out of respect for those in the film industry who have suffered tremendous losses in the last few days – but Stephen King has publicly wondered if enough deference is being shown and has suggested that the entire show this year should be cancelled.

But is that the right call? That is one of the three main headlines I have lined up in this week’s edition of The King Beat. In addition to King’s thoughts about 9^th Academy Awards, the author has also offered an update about his work on the untitled The Talisman 3 and the release of director Leigh Whannell’s Wolf Man in theaters has me thinking that an underrated book should be taken into consideration for a new adaptation. There’s a lot to discuss, so let’s dig in!

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Stephen King Announces He Will Not Cast His Vote for the Oscars This Year, Advocating Instead for the Event to Focus on Charitable Causes

Is Los Angeles in a state right now to celebrate all of the fabled glamor of Hollywood? This has been a hotly debated topic on social media in the last few days, and Stephen King has thrown his two cents into the public discussion in support of the negative. As the struggle to contain the horrific fires in southern California continues, the author said via Bluesky this week that he plans to abstain from voting for this year’s Oscars and expressed his thoughts about the event continuing as scheduled. He wrote,

Normally, Stephen King is very much an engaged Academy voter. In 2021, he memorably lamented the challenge of the nomination process while movie theaters around the world remained closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and he publicly expressed outrage last year when Greta Gerwig failed to get a Best Director nomination for Barbie. In 2025, however, he doesn’t feel that it’s appropriate for the film industry to throw a massive party while so many people in the industry’s main town are struggling so badly.

This viewpoint is certainly understandable and has merit, yet it remains open to debate. While it’s undeniable that hosting a lavish celebration in a city recently affected by hardship may seem inappropriate, it’s important to consider the positive outcomes that could arise from such an event. The Oscars generate numerous job opportunities, benefiting many individuals who are facing economic difficulties. Additionally, the ceremony has the potential to highlight the city’s resilience and can be a platform for promoting charitable initiatives and sharing vital information on how to assist those in need.

For what it’s worth, a Bluesky user responded to Stephen King’s post suggesting that the 97^th Academy Awards be used as a Farm Aid-style show to raise awareness and gather donations, and the author responded by quote posting with the caption, “Dig it, yeah.”

Although nominations have been temporarily delayed, the Oscars are still set to broadcast as initially intended on March 2, with Conan O’Brien confirmed to host the event.

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Stephen King Shares Exciting News About His Work on The Talisman 3

It has now been almost a quarter-of-a-century since Stephen King’s Constant Readers got to go on an adventure with protagonist Jack Sawyer, but if we’re lucky, that drought will be coming to an end in the coming years. In the summer of 2023, King teased that he was contemplating a sequel to his novels The Talisman and Black House (both books co-written by Peter Straub), and after a long wait, it seems the story is coming together. The author has avoided making any firm commitments about actually finishing and publishing the material, but it can be said for certain that ideas are being