Still with a certain Oscar hangover of 2025, which were held on March 2, just two weeks ago, the Academy of Arts and the United States film sciences is already thinking about the following awards, the number 98, which will take place in 2026. Hence, after five in the morning of Los Angeles – the academy is fond of making early ads – has made it known that the award of 2026 already have date, and also presenter. The 2026 Oscars will be held at the already classic Dolby Theater in Hollywood (Los Angeles, United States) on Sunday, March 15, at four in the afternoon, and will repeat as presenter the comedian Conan O’Brien, who made his debut this year with great success. In his statement, he has joked assuring: “The only reason I will present the Oscars next year is to listen to how Adrien Brody ends his speech.”
Although there is a year for the appointment, it is important that the Oscars set a date, because around them the awards season that marks the global calendar of the stars and the world of cinema in general is revolved: all the awards, from the Golden Globes, in early January, to those of independent cinema or those that deliver different unions (actors, directors, producers, scriptwriters …) take place before them, until that end that are the end. Therefore, the promotions of the films, the agendas of their actors and directors and even the premieres calendar depend on the date of the great world cinema awards. The time, four in the afternoon, is repeated for the third year, anticipating an hour to the usual one, since they were previously held at five. That makes it not so late on the east coast (seven there) neither so full early in Europe (one in the morning of Monday).
With respect to O’Brien, who repeats seems the most logical decision. The Academy must like it, because it does not normally announcing who is the master of ceremonies until a few months before the gala; In fact, it was learned that O’Brien would present it in mid -November. Although very long, with its three hours and 47 minutes, Massachusetts’s ceremony was pleasant and fun. He maintained that point that the American public likes so slightly attacking the stars without them feeling uncomfortable, in a gala that completely left the politics, despite the quiet nothing arrival of Donald Trump to the presidency. He knew how to handle humor and emotion and, in general, caused flattering comments. The rhythm, tone and script liked critics and the public, which has made, in addition to O’Brien, return the team that gave life to the event.
The audiences seem to support him, in addition. This year they have been good: 19.7 million viewers in the United States (where the gala was broadcast by the ABC chain and for the first time by the Hulu platform), a brief increase with respect to the 19.5 million of 2024 and the best data of the last five years. The figures are distant from the little more than 10.4 million of 2021, but the 40 million viewers who followed the ceremony a decade are also far away. According to academy data, the 97th Oscar had more social interactions than any other televised event: with 104.2 million interactions, they exceeded the Grammy (102.2 million) and the Super Bowl (62.4 million).
The rhythm, tone and script liked critics and the public, which has made, in addition to O’Brien, return the team that gave life to the event. Katy Mullan and Raj Kapoor return in executive production, for the third consecutive year, and Jeff Ross and Mike Sweeney as producers, for the second year; The latter, also as a screenwriter. “We are delighted to have Conan, Raj, Katy, Jeff and Mike again for the 98th edition of the Oscars,” said the executive director of the Academy, Bill Kramer, and his president, Janet Yang. “This year, they have produced a greatly entertaining and visually impressive show in which our nominees have already been held the world cinematographic community in a shocking and beautiful way. Conan was the perfect host, stealing us skillfully along the evening with humor, warmth and reverence. It is an honor to return to work with them. ”
“We both feel very honored to return to our papers for the 98th edition of the Oscars,” said Kapoor and Mullan. “We are looking forward to working with Conan and his entire team while we continue to explore even more special and feeling opportunities to celebrate the nominees of next year and the impact of cinema worldwide.” At 61, O’Brien was a rookie in these lides. He has also relieved Jimmy Kimmel, who presented them four times (2017, 2018, 2023 and 2024). Evacuated from his house for the fires that ravaged the city of Los Angeles in January, the script has been prepared in a hotel for months, as he himself has told. He has been accompanied by 10 scriptwriters of his program and has tried jokes and jokes in different forums, including humor bars of the city. In an interview with El Diario The New York Times Shortly before the gala, he affirmed that comedy is his life, that he began writing it with 18 years and that it is what he thinks “all the time”: “It is frustrating, but they are not mathematics. It cannot be demonstrated. The only way to find out is to try it with people. ”
Although everything seems to be repeated, in 2026 a novelty will arrive. For the first time in 25 years, the Oscar awards will incorporate a new category, the best delivery address. The academy announced it in February 2024, but the details are still unknown, which will be known this April. It will be the 24th award, which will cause the gala to lengthen, more if possible, and it will give O’Brien joke material.