Conan O’Brien Returning to Host 2026 Oscars Ceremony

Martin Holmes March 17, 2025, 9:44 am

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Conan O'Brien at Oscars — Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Conan O’Brien was such a success hosting this year’s Oscars that the Academy has wasted no time in locking him in to host next year’s ceremony.

Bill Kramer, Academy CEO, and Janet Yang, Academy president, made the announcement on Monday (March 17), confirming that O’Brien will be returning to the Dolby Theatre for the 98th Oscars on March 15, 2026, alongside the Emmy-winning producing team Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan.

“The only reason I’m hosting the Oscars next year is that I want to hear Adrien Brody finish his speech,” the iconic late-night host said in a statement, referencing The Brutalist actor’s Best Actor acceptance speech, the longest in the ceremony’s history.

“We are thrilled to bring back Conan, Raj, Katy, Jeff and Mike for the 98th Oscars!” Kramer and Yang said in a joint statement. “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.”

They added, “Conan was the perfect host — skillfully guiding us through the evening with humor, warmth and reverence. It is an honor to be working with them again.”

Forget the pot of gold—this St. Patrick’s Day, we’re giving you something even better. @ConanOBrien is officially returning to host the 98th Oscars! pic.twitter.com/Z2zOKbGO5Q

— The Academy (@TheAcademy) March 17, 2025

Kapoor and Mullan, who will be producing the ceremony for the third year in a row, added, “We are both so honored to be returning in our roles for the 98th Oscars. We can’t wait to work with Conan and his entire team as we continue to explore even more special and heartfelt opportunities to celebrate next year’s nominees and the impact of film around the world.”

O’Brien’s hosting of the 97th Oscars earlier this month proved to be a big success, with the ceremony drawing its highest viewership in five years. According to Nielsen ratings, the broadcast drew 19.69 million viewers, up from the 19.5 million that watched the 2024 ceremony.

Craig Erwich, president of Disney Television Group, had high praise for O’Brien’s “unforgettable performance,” saying, “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.”

How Did Conan O'Brien Do as Oscars Host? Viewers Share Their Reactions

The former Late Night with Conan O’Brien host received praise for his opening monologue, which included jokes about the Best Picture nominees and many of the nominated actors and actresses.

One of his most memorable jokes of the night came when he referenced the controversial, unearthed social media posts made by Best Actress nominee Karla Sofía Gascón. In his monologue, O’Brien joked, “Little fact for you: Anora uses the F-word 479 times. That’s three more than the record set by Karla Sofía Gascón’s publicist.”

He also showed off his trademark self-deprecating humor, quipping, “A Complete Unknown, A Real Pain, Nosferatu — these are just some of the names I was called on the red carpet.”

Are you excited to see O’Brien return to host the 2026 Oscars? Let us know your thoughts below.