Conan O’Brien will return as Oscars host in 2026

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 only reason I’m hosting the Oscars next year is that I want to hear Adrien Brody finish his speech,” O’Brien mentioned in a press release.

This yr was O’Brien’s first time main the present, which attracted its largest broadcast viewers in 5 years regardless of the successful film, “Anora,” being comparatively small. An estimated 19.7 million viewers watched the 97th Academy Awards ceremony earlier this month, in response to broadcaster ABC, with a giant elevate amongst folks aged 18 to 49, pushed by cell and laptop computer watches from youthful viewers. It was additionally essentially the most watched prime-time leisure present of 2025.

“Conan’s unique comedic style perfectly captured the moment, and I’m excited to have his talents back onstage next year to helm another indelible performance,” mentioned Craig Erwich, the president of Disney Tv Group, in a press release.

Subsequent yr O’Brien can even be surrounded by a well-recognized 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’s an honor to be working once more with the group behind this yr’s broadcast.

“This year, they produced a hugely entertaining and visually stunning show that celebrated our nominees and the global film community in the most beautiful and impactful way,” Kramer and Yang mentioned. “Conan was the perfect host — skillfully guiding us through the evening with humor, warmth and reverence.”

The present additionally succeeded in social media metrics, outperforming each the Grammy Awards and the Tremendous Bowl, in response to Oscars organizers. This was the primary time that the present was streamed stay 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.