Security has been heightened ahead of this year’s Oscars ceremony after the FBI warned of a potential “surprise attack” linked to Iran.

The 2026 Academy Awards are set to take place on Sunday evening in Los Angeles and are expected to draw a host of Hollywood A-listers, including Timothée Chalamet, Rose Byrne, Kate Hudson, Brad Pitt and Nicole Kidman.

According to an alert first reported by ABC News, the FBI has recently notified law-enforcement agencies across California that Iran could attempt to retaliate for recent US military action by launching drones towards the American west coast.

Despite the warning, organisers have sought to reassure attendees and viewers that extensive security measures are in place.

“We want everybody to feel safe and protected and welcome, so it’s our job as a producing team to make sure that that translates,” Oscars telecast producer Raj Kapoor said in a statement to journalists.

“We have the support of the FBI and the LAPD, and it’s a close collaboration,” Kapoor added. “This show has to run like clockwork. But we want everybody that is coming to this show, that is witnessing the show, and even fans standing outside the barricades, to feel secure.”

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In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department confirmed it had moved to an “elevated level of vigilance”, citing a range of potential threats including “lone actors” and “sleeper cells”.

“In light of current global events, the Department remains at an elevated level of readiness and is maintaining increased vigilance as we continue to protect the residents of Los Angeles County,” the statement read.

“We are working closely with our federal and local law-enforcement partners to share intelligence and monitor the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and assess any potential impacts in our communities.

“The safety of the public remains our highest priority. As part of our preparedness efforts, we remain attentive to all potential threats, including lone-actor attacks, sleeper cells and advanced technological or cyber-related threats.”

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Sources at the red carpet rollout told Variety that security around the event has been strengthened, though the measures are not overtly visible.

Tensions escalated on 28 February when the United States and Israel carried out a coordinated military strike on Iran that resulted in the assassination of its leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran subsequently retaliated by targeting American bases across the Middle East as well as military sites in Israel, prompting several Gulf countries to close their airspace.