Comedian, longtime talk show host and writer Conan O'Brien has been tapped to return as the host for the 98th Academy Awards in 2026, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Monday.
Academy CEO Bill Kramer and president Janet Yang said they were thrilled to have O'Brien back as the host for next year's ceremony, which is slated for Sunday, March 15.
The Academy also announced that executive producers Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan will return in their roles for the third year along with producers Jeff Ross and Mike Sweeney, who also serves as a writer for the show.
"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," they said in a statement.
O'Brien joked in a statement, "The only reason I'm hosting the Oscars next year is that I want to hear Adrien Brody finish his speech." (Brody, who nabbed the best actor award for his role in The Brutalist, broke the Guinness World Record for longest Oscar acceptance speech, speaking for 5 minutes and 36 seconds.)
This year's show was well-received by critics, and received its strongest ratings in five years, both in total viewers (19.7 million), and with adults aged 18-29, the Academy said.
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