When Hollywood gathers to attend the 96th Academy Awards ceremony this Sunday, the widely expected biographical film is set to outperform all competitors - including its release date counterpart, "Barbie" - at the Oscars of the election year, which could become a crowning moment for actor Christopher Nolan.

The Oscars ceremony airs on ABC at 7 p.m. Eastern Time on Sunday, starting an hour earlier than usual due to daylight saving time. But aside from the time shift, this year's show will follow many tried-and-true Oscars traditions. Jimmy Kimmel has returned as host. Previous winners come back as presenters. And the big studio epic is ready to scoop up major awards.

However, there is much going on around this year's ceremony, with protesters expected to demonstrate against the war between Israel and Hamas near the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Police have already increased their heavy presence, and the war in Ukraine will be on the minds of some attendees, especially those journalists and filmmakers who produced the acclaimed documentary "20 Days in Mariupol." With the presidential election approaching, politics may become an unavoidable topic despite the awards season largely taking place in a vacuum.

Hollywood also has many of its own stormy controversies to deal with.

The 2023 cinema year was defined by a long-standing strike about the future of the industry reckoning with the rise of streaming and artificial intelligence and changing moviegoer tastes that tested even the most bankable brands. While the academy also widely nominated films like Killers of the Flower Moon and Poor Things, it embraced both Oppenheimer, the main contender with 13 nominations, and Barbie directed by Greta Gerwig, which has achieved the biggest success this year with over 13 nominations in the United States, $1.4 billion in ticket sales, and eight nominations.

What does the TV broadcast have in store?

Five previous winners in each acting category will announce the winners for the first time since 2009. Among the many announced presenters are Zendaya, Al Pacino, Jennifer Lawrence, Michelle Yeoh, Steven Spielberg, Dwayne Johnson, Matthew McConaughey, Lupita Nyong’o, Mahershala Ali, Nicolas Cage, and Bad Bunny.

All top nominees for original songs will perform, including the likely winner, "What Was I Made For" from Barbie, performed by Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell. The others are: "I'm Just Ken" with Ryan Gosling and Mark Ronson; "The Fire Inside" from Flamin’ Hot performed by Becky G; Jon Batiste "A Light That Never Goes Out" from American Symphony; and "Wahzhazhe (Song for My People)" from Killers of the Flower Moon performed by Scott George and the Osage Singers.

Who are the favorites?

Oppenheimer comes after winning the Producers Guild, Directors Guild, and Actors Guild awards, making it the favorite for Best Picture. The film is also widely expected to win in several other categories. Nolan is expected to win his first Oscar for Best Director, while Robert Downey Jr. (Best Supporting Actor) and Cillian Murphy (Best Actor) are also expected to win their first Academy Awards. Paul Giamatti ("The Holdovers") could challenge Murphy.

With Oppenheimer’s screening anticipated, the biggest drama of the night is in the Best Actress category. The chances of Emma Stone ("Poor Things") and Lily Gladstone ("Killers of the Flower Moon") winning are nearly even. While Stone's Oscar, which she won for her performance in La La Land, would be her second statue, Gladstone's win would make Oscar history. No Native American has ever won a competitive Oscar.

While Barbie outperformed Oppenheimer (and helped elevate it) at the box office, it seems likely to take a back seat to Nolan’s film at the Oscars. Gerwig was notably snubbed for Best Director, sparking sharp criticism, with some, including Hillary Clinton, saying it echoes the patriarchal system depicted in the film.

In the Supporting Actress category, Da'Vine Joy Randolph capped off a long season for her performance in the film The Holdovers directed by Alexander Payne.

What else to watch for?

Composer John Williams (92 years old) is expected to attend the ceremony where he earned his 49th nomination for Best Score for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Meanwhile, Godzilla heads to the Oscars for the first time with the song "Godzilla Minus One" nominated for Best Visual Effects.

Also for the first time, two non-English-language films compete for Best Picture: the German-language Auschwitz drama The Zone of Interest and French courtroom drama Anatomy of a Fall. The Zone of Interest is the favorite to win Best International Feature Film.

Historically, having big films on the Oscar Best Picture list was good for broadcast ratings. The largest audience ever for the Oscars came when James Cameron’s Titanic swept the Oscars in 1998.

Last year’s ceremony, where a completely different nominee won Best Picture with Everything Everywhere All at Once, was watched by 18.7 million people, a 12% increase from the previous year. ABC and the Academy hope to continue the upward trend after the dip in 2021, when 9.85 million watched the TV broadcast, which shrank due to the pandemic and was moved to Union Station in Los Angeles.