Hollywood just made it official. Conan O’Brien will return as Oscar 2027 host, and this time, he’s not just coming back, he’s making history.
With this third consecutive year, O’Brien becomes the first person to host the Oscars three years in a row since Billy Crystal, who did it four straight years from 1990 to 1993. That’s a short list. Bob Hope. Johnny Carson. Billy Crystal and now Conan.
Not bad for a guy who describes his decision-making as a “little bearded Viking” living inside him since he was 10.
When are the 2027 Oscars?
The 99th Academy Awards will air live on ABC and stream on Hulu on Sunday, March 14, 2027, from the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood. And yes, Conan O’Brien will return as Oscar 2027 host for that exact night.
This will also be the second-to-last Oscars at the Dolby Theatre. After the 100th edition in 2028, the show moves to the Peacock Theater. And after that, YouTube takes over the broadcast starting with the 101st edition in 2029. So, these next two years at Dolby feel a little more special knowing what’s coming.
Conan O’Brien will return as Oscar 2027 host: Here’s why it matters
Honestly, ABC never really let go of him. The post-pandemic attendance at the 2025 Oscars was 19.69 million. In 2026, the number further dropped to 17.86 million. A drop, yes. But ABC wasn’t worried. They wanted Conan back before the ink dried on the 2026 ceremony.
Who else is coming back for the 99th Oscars?
Conan O’Brien will return as Oscar 2027 host, and the whole team will be back with him.
Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan return as executive producers for the fourth consecutive year. Jeff Ross and Mike Sweeney also return as producers for the third year running, with Sweeney also serving as a writer.
The fact that Conan O’Brien to return as Oscar 2027 host with the same production team matters more than people realise. Kapoor and Mullan praised his humor and generosity. They also expressed their trust in him.
That kind of stability matters. The Oscars had years of chaos: rotating hosts, no hosts, nervous hosts. Now they have a team that knows each other, knows the room, and knows what works.
What has Conan O’Brien done before the Oscars?
For anyone who needs a refresher, here’s who this man is.
The 6-time Emmy award winner also hosted shows like, “Late Night with Conan O’Brien”, “The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien,” and “Conan.” He currently hosts the “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend” podcast and also the HBO travel show “Conan O’Brien Must Go.”
The Tonight Show chapter was messy, publicly. But the way Conan handled it, with self-deprecating humor and zero bitterness, is probably why people trust him. That’s the whole reason he will return as Oscar 2027 host for a third time. Hollywood doesn’t hand that stage to someone twice by accident.
Conan O’Brien will return as Oscar 2027 host: Is this the last Oscars on ABC?
Almost. Disney holds the rights to the Oscars through the 100th edition in 2028. After that, the telecast moves to YouTube, with the ceremony shifting to the Peacock Theater in 2029.
So, the 99th Oscars in 2027 and the 100th in 2028 are the final two on ABC and Hulu. Whether Conan hosts the 100th edition, too, hasn’t been announced. But given Mills’ “host for life” comment, it wouldn’t surprise anyone.
Final thoughts
Conan O’Brien will return as Oscar 2027 host with something rare in Hollywood: actual goodwill. Nobody’s complaining. The Academy is happy. ABC is happy. The producers are happy. And Conan, in his words, has a Viking inside him who has already decided.
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