Conan O’Brien is returning to the Oscars stage in 2026. The late-night host and comic will preside over the 98th Academy Awards, set for March 15, the movie academy’s management mentioned Monday.
“The one cause I am internet hosting the Oscars subsequent yr is that I wish to hear Adrien Brody end his speech,” O’Brien mentioned in an announcement.
This yr was O’Brien’s first time main the present, which attracted its largest broadcast viewers in 5 years regardless of the profitable film, Anora, being comparatively small.
An estimated 19.7 million viewers watched the 97th Academy Awards ceremony earlier this month, based on broadcaster ABC, with an enormous raise amongst folks aged 18 to 49, pushed by cellular and laptop computer watches from youthful viewers.
It was additionally probably the most watched prime-time leisure present of 2025.
“Conan’s distinctive comedic fashion completely captured the second, and I am excited to have his skills again onstage subsequent yr to helm one other indelible efficiency,” mentioned Craig Erwich, the president of Disney Tv Group, in an announcement.
Subsequent yr, O’Brien will even be surrounded by a well-known staff, with Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan returning as govt producers of the present and Jeff Ross and Mike Sweeney as producers. Academy CEO Invoice Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang mentioned in a joint assertion that it is an honour to be working once more with the group behind this yr’s broadcast.
“This yr, they produced a vastly entertaining and visually gorgeous present that celebrated our nominees and the worldwide movie neighborhood in probably the most stunning and impactful means,” Kramer and Yang mentioned.
“Conan was the right host — skillfully guiding us via the night with humour, heat and reverence.”
Missed the 4 hour present? We break down all that occurred on the Oscars in a single minute.
The present additionally succeeded in social media metrics, outperforming each the Grammy Awards and the Tremendous Bowl, based on Oscars organizers. This was the primary time that the present was streamed dwell concurrently on Hulu, which was not with out its glitches.
The timing of the announcement of subsequent yr’s internet hosting and producing groups — lower than a month after this yr’s Oscars — is unusually early for the movie academy and ABC.
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