ABC agrees with a winning combination for the Oscar Awards 2026, with Conan O’Brien, which returns as host with producers Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan and producers Jeff Ross and Mike Sweeney.
It is the second in a row for O’Brien, Ross and Sweeney, and third in a row for Kapoor and Mullan. The 98th Oscars ceremony will be broadcast on ABC Sunday 15 March 2026 at 19:00 Eastern (16:00 Pacific).
“The only reason I’m hosting” Oscars “next year is that I want to hear Adrien Brody end his speech,” said O’Brien on Monday.
“We are happy to get Conan, Raj, Katy, Jeff and Mike for the 98th Oscars!” Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang said in a statement. “This year, they produced an extremely entertaining and visually fantastic show that celebrated our nominees and global film community in the most beautiful and influencing way. Conan was the perfect values - skillfully guiding us through the evening with humor, warmth and reverence. It is an honor to work with them again. “
Craig Erwich, chairman of Disney Television Group said: “Conan delivered an unforgettable performance on ‘The Oscars’, and we are honored to have him and
The producing team back next year. Conan’s unique comic style caught perfect moment, and I am happy to have his talents
Back on stage next year to rore another indelible performance. “
At the same time, Kapoor and Mullan said: “We can’t wait to work with Conan and the entire team as we continue to explore even more special and cordial opportunities to celebrate next year’s nominees and the impact of film around the world.”
2025 Oscars-The 97th ceremony-was a grading wine for ABC with 19.69 million viewers over ABC and Hulu, the largest audience since 2020. It was also a success with the most important demo, with a 4.5-grade among 18-49 viewers, a 19% increase over 2024, and in 18-34 Demo. All in all, it was the show’s largest audience in the younger demonstration since 2019, although it was the fifth year in a row that Oscars has failed to reach 20 million viewers.
This year’s Oscars and largely received positive reviews, with Thewrap’s Brian Lowry notes That the show “largely mastered the sensitive … juggling action and acknowledged heavier questions … while trying to give a sense of playfulness, even finesse, with the permission of (O’Brien).”
The Back-to-back host gigs make O’Brien only the fifth person hosting Oscars-Solo in Each of the following years, after Bob Hope (whose 19 shows included eight back-to-backs), Johnny Carson (whose five laps as host included three back-to-backs), Billy Crystal (which also made it in each other three times) 2018.
The date of March 15 for the 98th Academy Awards will extend prices in the award for another two weeks during this year’s season, which ended with a March 2 Oscars. After a 17-year-old distance from 2004 where Oscars was held in February 13, the last five programs took place later than that, including a Covid delayed April 25-show 2021.
While the outlook seems unlikely, O’Brien may be an Oscar -host and a nominee that night. Comic plays a supportive role in director Mary Bronsteins ”If I had legs I would kick you“Which will be released by A24 after a well -received debut at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.
