Comedian Conan O’Brien will return to host the 99th Academy Awards set for March 14.
O’Brien, known for his self-deprecating humor, emceed the Oscars this year and in 2025.
“Conan has created remarkable energy around the Oscars,” President of Disney Television Group Craig Erwich said in a statement Tuesday announcing O’Brien’s return. “His singular comedic voice makes Hollywood’s biggest night one of the most entertaining celebrations of the year. We’re proud to welcome him back and look forward to what he and the producing team deliver next.”
Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan are set to return as the show’s executive producers for the fourth consecutive year.
Major changes are in store for the entertainment industry’s biggest night.
Starting in 2029, the Oscars will move from Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre, its home for nearly a quarter century, to the L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles. The ceremony will also stream on YouTube, ending a five-decade run on ABC, beginning that year.
Oscars viewership has been in flux as younger audiences prefer to view clips of the ceremony on social media, rather than on television.
ABC’s telecast of the 2026 ceremony averaged 17.9 million viewers, down 9% from the previous year, when it garnered 19.7 million viewers. Ratings for the Oscars reached an all-time low of 10.5 million viewers in 2021.
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Chief Executive Bill Kramer and President Lynette Howell Taylor announced the news at its upfront presentation Tuesday.