Conan O’Brien is coming back for thirds. ABC announced during its upfront presentation on Tuesday that the funnyman will return for the 2027 Oscars, following well-received emcee stints the past two years.
“We look forward to Conan superbly leading the celebration with his brilliance and humor,” Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Lynette Howell Taylor said in a joint statement.
The upcoming ceremony will be executive produced by Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan for the fourth straight year. “Getting to reunite with Conan O’Brien for a third year at the Oscars is really special. He brings that signature humor everyone loves, along with a real warmth and generosity that carry through the entire show,” said Kapoor and Mullan. “He’s a true creative partner, someone we trust completely, and someone who makes the whole process genuinely fun, both behind the scenes and on stage. We’re incredibly grateful to keep building this together and can’t wait to share what’s next.”
Despite positive reviews and some huge films competing for the top prizes, viewership for the 2026 Oscars was down 9 percent from last year and was the smallest audience for the Academy Awards since the ceremony first returned to the Dolby Theatre at the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022. Industry watchers, however, say the dip has more to do with the downturn in linear television-watching, as opposed to the quality of the broadcast.
It’s been a busy May in Oscar land, with today’s news coming less than two weeks after the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences unveiled a flurry of rule changes involving AI guardrails, international features, and acting eligibility.
Last month, the Academy and ABC announced key dates for the upcoming 99th Academy Awards and the show date for the landmark centennial in 2028. Nominations for the 99th edition of the Oscars will be announced on Jan. 21, 2027, with the ceremony taking place on March 14, 2027. The 100th Academy Awards are set for March 5, 2028.
The next two ceremonies will mark the final awards held at the Dolby Theatre and aired on ABC before the show begins streaming on YouTube from its new location, downtown Los Angeles’s Peacock Theater, in 2029.
