Conan O’Brien will return as Oscar host in 2026

Conan O’Brien returns to the Oscars stage in 2026. The late-night host and comedian will host the 98th Academy Awards, set on March 15th, the film Academy leadership said Monday.

“The only reason I’m hosting Oscars next year is that I want to hear Adrien Brody finish his speech,” O’Brien said in a statement.

This year was O’Brien’s first lead in the show. This attracted the largest broadcast audience of five years, despite the relatively small victory film “Anora.” An estimated 19.7 million viewers watched the 97th Academy Awards ceremony earlier this month. According to BroadcasterABC, there was a big lift between people aged 18-49 driving mobile and laptop watches from younger viewers. It was also the most viewed Primetime Entertainment Show of 2025.

“Conan’s unique style of comedy captured the moment perfectly, and I’m excited to bring his talent back to the stage next year to lead another indelible performance,” Craig Elwitch, president of Disney TV Group, said in a statement.

Next year, O’Brien will be surrounded by familiar teams, with Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan returning as executive producers of the show, while Jeffross and Mikes Weeney returning as producers. Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy Chairman Janet Yang said in a joint statement that it was an honor to work again with the group behind this year’s broadcast.

“This year, they created a very interesting and visually incredible show that celebrated our candidates and the global film community in the most beautiful and impactful ways,” Kramer and Yang said. “Conan was the perfect host. He cleverly guided me through the evening with humor, warmth and respect.”

According to Oscar organizers, the show has also managed to dictate social media, surpassing both the Grammys and the Super Bowl. This was the first time the show was streamed live on Hulu at the same time, but it wasn’t without glitches.

The timing for the announcement of hosting and producer teams for next year will be within a month of this year’s Oscars, but it’s very early for the Film Academy and ABC.