Conan O’Brien will return as host of the 2026 Oscars ceremony after receiving widespread acclaim for how he handled the prestigious gig earlier this month.
On Monday, it was revealed that the comedian, 61, will resume the reins at the 98th annual Academy Awards, which will take place on March 15 in the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California, and air on ABC.
‘The only reason I’m hosting the Oscars next year is that I want to hear Adrien Brody finish his speech,’ the talk show host mused in a press release, obtained by People.
His joke was a reference to Brody’s lengthy acceptance speech after he picked up the award for Best Actor and spoke onstage for five minutes and 36 seconds.
While there’s no single average length for an acceptance speech, the official time limit is 45 seconds.
Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan will be back as executive producers for the third consecutive year.
Conan O’Brien will return as host of the 2026 Oscars ceremony after receiving widespread acclaim for how he handled the prestigious gig earlier this month
Meanwhile, Jeff Ross and Mike Sweeney will produce for the second time.
Sweeney will be pulling double duty as a producer and writer.
‘We are thrilled to bring back Conan, Raj, Katy, Jeff and Mike for the 98th Oscars!’ Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang said in a statement.
The pair continued: ‘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. 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.’
The 2025 Oscars, which marked O’Brien’s hosting debut, delivered a five-year high in both total viewers (19.69 million) and adults 18-49 (4.54 rating).
Earlier this month, Disney’s Rob Mills, the executive VP of unscripted and alternative entertainment, revealed he invited O’Brien to resume his position of host for 2026.
Speaking of Conan’s performance, Rob said the comedian ‘absolutely nailed it.’
‘It was this sense memory of 30 years of not only him in late night, but when he would host the Emmys and all the stuff he’s done.
‘This was almost like Conan’s greatest hits. You had a little bit of everything: An incredibly funny monologue that had the hallmarks of what Conan does: Silliness, self-deprecation, jokes that are funny… and then 20 minutes later you realize they’re really funny.’
