Conan O'Brien to return as Oscars host in 2027

Conan O'Brien's era as Oscars host is becoming a trilogy. The Emmy-winner and comedian will be back to host the 99th Academy Awards in 2027.

O'Brien hosted the last two Oscar ceremonies to positive reviews.

Earlier this year, in his opening monologue, he said he was "honoured to be the last human host of the Academy Awards … Next year it's going to be a Waymo in a tux".

He'll be surrounded by a familiar team, as well, with the return of Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan as the show's executive producers.

"They are an incredible team and have produced such captivating, entertaining and heartfelt shows over the last two years," film academy leaders Bill Kramer and Lynette Howell Taylor said in a joint statement on Tuesday.

They added they're looking forward to "Conan superbly leading the celebration with his brilliance and humour".

After several years of ratings increases, including a post-pandemic high of 19.7 million viewers who tuned in for O'Brien's inaugural year as host, when Anora swept the awards, the show took a dip in viewership this year, when One Battle After Another was crowned best picture.

Engagement for the Oscars rose by other metrics, though. Social media engagement during the broadcast went up by over 42 per cent this year.

The 99th Oscars will be broadcast live on ABC from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on March 14, 2027.