Conan O’Brien Confirmed to Host 2026 Oscars Following Record Ratings

The comedian will return to host the 98th Academy Awards on March 15, 2026, after his debut drew the highest viewership in five years.

Conan O’Brien, 61, will host the Oscars for a second consecutive year in 2026, as announced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
His debut as host of the 2025 Oscars attracted 19.7 million viewers, making it the most-watched primetime entertainment program of the year and the highest-rated Oscars since 2020.
O’Brien’s comedic style and performance were widely praised by Academy leadership, who described him as a perfect host for the event.
The 2026 Oscars will take place on March 15, with the same production team, including Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan as executive producers, returning to helm the event.
O’Brien humorously noted that his motivation to return was to hear actor Adrien Brody finish his record-breaking acceptance speech from this year’s ceremony.