Is MrBeast the Oscars’ Future Host? Conan O’Brien’s 2026 Post-Credits Sketch Has Fans Speculating
After the 2026 Oscars wrapped on March 15, fans were talking not just about the winners but about who might even host next year. Conan O’Brien turned that question into…
After the 2026 Oscars wrapped on March 15, fans were talking not just about the winners but about who might even host next year. Conan O’Brien turned that question into comedy gold in a sketch that closed the show.
In the skit, O’Brien spoofed a tense scene from One Battle After Another, which won Best Picture. He recreated the moment Sean Penn’s character, Steven J. Lockjaw, joins the secretive Christmas Adventurers Club, right before being gassed. Penn, who won Best Supporting Actor, notably skipped the ceremony.
Passing the Torch to MrBeast
O’Brien’s twist: Jim Downey’s character, Sandy Irvin, names O’Brien the Oscars “Host for Life.” But just moments later, he’s gassed away and replaced by YouTube superstar Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast.
The sketch leaned into the modern digital era of film, with jokes about AI, TikTok, and online culture sprinkled throughout. At one point, O’Brien quipped he was “honored to be the last human host of the Academy Awards” and joked that next year’s emcee could be a “Waymo in a tux.”
Why MrBeast Makes Sense
The shoutout to MrBeast wasn’t just a gag. In December 2025, the Academy announced a groundbreaking deal giving YouTube exclusive rights to stream the Oscars starting in 2029, the awards’ 101st ceremony. YouTube CEO Neal Mohan said the partnership “will inspire a new generation of creativity and film lovers while staying true to the Oscars’ storied legacy.”
Donaldson, who has 471 million YouTube subscribers for his large-scale challenge videos, reposted a screenshot of his fictional “Host for Life” nameplate on social media, joining in on the joke.
Conan’s Open Invitation to Return
While it’s unclear if MrBeast will ever actually host the Oscars, O’Brien seems to have an open invitation to continue while the show remains on ABC.
Rob Mills, Walt Disney Television executive VP of unscripted and alternative entertainment, told Deadline he “can’t confirm” if next year will feature a human host but added, “Well, let’s put it this way. Conan has, obviously, a standing offer to host as long as he wants.” In a separate Variety interview, Mills added about O’Brien’s joke: “Oh, that is no joke, Conan is host for life. He hasn’t even accepted yet. He’s just being told. We’re assuming that was not a comedy bit. We’re going to treat that as if that was fact.”
