Jimmy Kimmel and John Mulaney have both passed on the job of hosting the next Oscars on March 2. Variety has confirmed.
Kimmel, a four-time Oscar presenter, is said to have turned down the gig earlier this summer. Mulaney, whose presenting routine was one of the highlights of this year’s show and who also hosted the Governors Awards, has a busy schedule with several projects in the pipeline. His talk show “Everybody’s in LA” could also be renewed by Netflix, according to Puck, who first reported the hosting news.
The Academy declined to comment.
Kimmel was a four-time host of the annual ceremony and currently ranks fourth as host to Whoopi Goldberg and Jack Lemmon. He sits behind Johnny Carson (5), Billy Crystal (9) and Bob Hope (19).
Mulaney, who hosted and presented the Governors Awards at the 96th Academy Awards in January, had become a favorite among awards enthusiasts to take up the mantle. In an interview with Variety in June, Academy CEO Bill Kramer shared his praise for Kimmel and the possibility of Mulaney joining the broadcast, saying, “We’re fortunate to have Jimmy [Kimmel], which helped create one of the best Oscars last year. John Mulaney also did a fantastic job. All I’m saying is, whoever ends up hosting the show, we want to continue with this tone of celebration, respect, humor and a great love for movies. We have some great options.
This year’s list of potential award contenders appears to include an eclectic mix of blockbuster films (“Dune: Part Two”), huge stars (Lady Gaga, “Joker: Folie à Deux”) and beloved authors (Steve McQueen, “Blitz”) . The 97th Oscars will be presented on Sunday, March 2.