After incomes rave evaluations for his stint internet hosting the Oscars earlier this month, Conan O’Brien will return to host the 2026 ceremony, the Academy of Movement Image Arts and Sciences and ABC stated Monday.
“The only reason I’m hosting ‘The Oscars’ next year is that I want to hear Adrien Brody finish his speech,” O’Brien stated in a press release.
The academy sometimes unveils its present emcee in late fall. By saying O’Brien’s return to host the 98th Academy Awards almost a 12 months prematurely, the academy and Walt Disney Co.’s ABC broadcast community are sending a vote of confidence for the quirky comic.
O’Brien’s humor throughout this 12 months’s present was effectively obtained, and in contrast with many comics, he’s not a political lightning rod. The 97th Academy Award telecast additionally noticed a slight viewers bump regardless of the dearth of blockbuster box-office hits among the many front-runner films.
The present averaged 19.7 million viewers for ABC and streaming service Hulu, a rise of about 200,000 viewers members from the 2024 present.
That marked the Oscar’s finest efficiency in 5 years. The present additionally boasted a big viewers amongst viewers aged 18 to 49, the popular demographic of advertisers.
“Conan was the perfect host — skillfully guiding us through the evening with humor, warmth and reverence,” academy Chief Govt Invoice Kramer and academy President Janet Yang stated in a press release saying the return engagement.
This system ran lengthy — 3 hours and 45 minutes — regardless of O’Brien’s cheeky assurances early within the present that he wouldn’t waste time. Brody, who gained lead actor for “The Brutalist,” gave the longest acceptance speech in Oscar historical past, clocking in at 5 minutes and 36 seconds. By that point, the present was already working lengthy.
Tv producers Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan may even return as govt producers for a 3rd straight 12 months. Producers Jeff Ross and Mike Sweeney can be again for a second time. Sweeney may even function a author.
“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 stated of the workforce, together with O’Brien.
The Emmy-winning host is a tv selection present veteran, internet hosting the late-night discuss exhibits “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” “The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien” and “Conan.” Beforehand, he served as a author for “Saturday Night Live” and “The Simpsons.” He at present hosts the “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend” podcast.
The Oscars will air on ABC on March 15 at 4 p.m. Pacific time.
The 2 sides didn’t say whether or not Hulu would once more stream the Oscars.
The Disney-owned streamer’s inaugural try was marred by technical glitches that left 1000’s of Hulu subscribers lacking key moments from the present.
ABC has televised the awards present for almost a half-century, and is coming into the ultimate part of its deal to broadcast the Oscars. The present contract, which was struck in 2016, permits ABC to televise the Oscars by means of 2028 — the 12 months of the present’s a centesimal anniversary.
It’s unclear whether or not the academy and Disney will renew the pact to maintain the Oscars on ABC.
The academy depends closely on income from Disney. In 2023, the academy reported complete income of almost $158 million, in keeping with tax filings. Greater than 90% of that got here from its tv contracts for the Oscars.
