UPDATE: After word broke on Monday afternoon that Jimmy Kimmel would be the next host of the Academy Awards, the emcee confirmed the news himself.

Kimmel took to Twitter to confirm an earlier report (which you can read in full below) that he has officially been tapped by the Academy to host film's biggest night. And in case anyone was wondering whether or not this was just another one of his elaborate pranks that he's become known for over the years, the host assured his followers that it was not.

"Yes, I am hosting the Oscars," Kimmel tweeted. "This is not a prank. And if it is, my revenge on @TheAcademy will be terrible & sweet."

This will be Kimmel's first time taking a crack at the Oscars, after hosting the Emmys twice (in 2012, and again this year). No word yet on how this will affect his traditional post-Oscars special on "Jimmy Kimmel Live," though we imagine he and ABC will have some convenient tie-ins ready to promote the show as Oscars Sunday approaches.

ORIGINAL REPORT: After months of uncertainty over who will host the biggest celebration in Hollywood, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has reportedly settled on its pick, with Jimmy Kimmel set to emcee the Oscars in February.

The news comes from The Hollywood Reporter, which notes that an official announcement from the Academy and Oscars producers Michael De Luca and Jennifer Todd is forthcoming. Kimmel, who hosted the Emmys in September to almost universal acclaim, was ABC's top pick for the job, with execs publicly campaigning on his behalf.

It looks like that influence worked, and as THR notes, that sway is part of a new deal between the Academy and ABC -- the Oscars' longtime broadcaster -- that gives the network more of a say in who is selected for the high-profile gig. The ultimate decision is still the Academy's, however.

Perhaps those new negotiations are why it took so long for the telecast to secure a host. In years past, the Oscars emcee has had many months to prepare for the high-pressure job; now, Kimmel, De Luca, and Todd will have just over 11 weeks to craft the show.

Considering Kimmel has presided over his eponymous late-night show for more than a decade, though, he's no doubt used to writing under pressure, and his successful Emmys hosting stints (both this year and back in 2012) prove he's more than capable of steering a live awards telecast. We'll see him in action when the Oscars air on ABC on Sunday, February 26, 2017.

[via: The Hollywood Reporter]

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