Conan O'Brien to host Oscars for third time

May 12 (UPI) -- ABC and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Tuesday that Conan O'Brien will host the Academy Awards again next year. The 99th Academy Awards airs live Sunday, March 14 at 7 p.m. EDT on ABC and streams on Hulu.

Executive Producers Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan also return with returning producers Jeff Ross and Mike Sweeeny. Sweeney also writes with O'Brien.

2027 will mark O'Brien's third consecutive year hosting the awards show. His 2026 stint concluded with a sketch parodying One Battle After Another, where O'Brien was led into an office like Sean Penn's character, Col. Lockjaw.

Self-deprecating penalty aside, Academy CEO Bill Kramer and President Lynette Howell Taylor announced the rehiring of O'Brien.

At a press conference for the 2026 Oscars, O'Brien said he and the writers evaluate the topicality of jokes up until showtime. He also compared hosting to his early days at The Groundlings.

"You just gotta let it go and go out there and let my natural low self-esteem take over," O'Brien said.

2026 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.