In one of the fastest renewals in Oscars history, Conan O’Brien is back. The host of the 97th Academy Award will return to emcee the 98th Oscars and, honestly, no one should be surprised. Especially after this year’s ceremony earned stellar reviews and was the most-watched program since the pandemic.
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Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang also announced executive producers Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan for the third consecutive year. Jeff Ross and Mike Sweeney will return as producers for a second time, and Sweeney will also serve as a writer.
In a statement, Kramer and Yang noted, “We are thrilled to bring back Conan, Raj, Katy, Jeff and Mike for the 98th Oscars! 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.”
O’Brien quipped, “The only reason I’m hosting the Oscars next year is that I want to hear Adrien Brody finish his speech.”
Craig Erwich, president of Disney Television Group added, “Conan delivered an unforgettable performance at ‘The Oscars,’ and we’re honored to have him and the producing team back next year. 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.”
Kapoor and Mullan remarked, “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.”
According to The Academy, the 2025 telecast delivered a five-year high in both total viewers (19.69 million) and adults 18-49 (4.54 rating) and ranked as the number one primetime entertainment telecast in both total viewers and adults for the 2024-2025 season (so far). Additionally, AMPAS touted that the 97th Oscars earned 104.2 million total social interactions, ranking as the number one most social TV program season-to-date, outperforming both “The Grammy Awards” (102.2 million interactions) and “The Super Bowl” (62.4 million) this season for the first time on record. The latter is an important metric for advertisers who often tie their campaigns to their placements in the show.
Bringing O’Brien back was a no-brainer, but an exceptionally fast decision for all parties. Jimmy Kimmel, who has hosted four times, both back-to-back, usually took a breath to decide if he wanted to return. This agreement is a huge weight off The Academy’s shoulders as it frees them of the pressure of spending months not only finding willing ceremony producers but of finding a host who can meet the expectations of the membership, viewers, and their broadcast and streaming partner. It’s a testament to how difficult that process is that ABC is willing to go with a noncorporate talent in O’Brien – effectively a free agent – instead of Kimmel, a star in the Disney fold.
The announcement also revealed that next year’s ceremony will take place on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. The two-week delay is to avoid any overlap with the 2026 Winter Olympic Games. But yes, it’s going to be a long 2026 season.
