As weather forecasters predicted rain in California in the next 48 hours, film stars that will be present at the ceremony might get soaked, BBC News informs.

As a clear plastic tent was covering the red carpet to protect it from the rain, Gil Cates, the show’s producer, was still optimistic.

"I'm confident the weather is going to be OK Sunday," he said, ignoring the forecasts. Then he added: "If it rains, it'll be good for the flowers."

Another worry concerning the Oscars was the strike of the Hollywood writers, which lasted for 100 days, and ended two weeks before the ceremony. That left little time for writers to prepare for the show, but comedian Jon Steward, host of the show, is as optimistic as Cates.

"For the business that I'm in, it's the Super Bowl," Stewart told The Associated Press. "It's the ultimate show business 'let's put on a show, we open in two weeks, people' and it's grand. There's a grand scale to it that you don't get to experience, at least I haven't, in any other aspect. It's live, it's that night, it's their night. There's so much to it that is exciting."

This year’s Oscars appear to be dominated by dark and difficult films, with Paul Thomas Anderson's "There Will Be Blood", the Coen Brothers’ "No Country For Old Men", the violent story of a killer, „Michael Clayton”, a legal thriller starring George Clooney, and „Atonement”, a tragic war drama.

For the best actor prize compete Daniel Day-Lewis ("There Will Be Blood"), George Clooney ("Michael Clayton") and Johnny Depp ("Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"), although the last two are outside bets.

The best actress prize could go either to Julie Christie ("Away From Her") or to French actress Marion Cotillard, who has been greatly appreciated for performing the role of Edith Piaf in "La Vie En Rose". But there also are chances for 21-year-old Ellen page from "Juno" to spring a surprise.