Actresses Amy Schumer, Wanda Sykes, and Regina Hall Will Host this Year’s Academy Awards

(L to R) Wanda Sykes, Regina Hall, and Amy Schumer to Host the 2022 Academy Awards.

Looking to return to a more normal state of affairs for this year’s Oscar ceremony, 2022 producer Will Packer has decided to return to having a host. Or in this case, three, as Amy Schumer, Wanda Sykes, and Regina Hall will take the job.

Packer, who has produced movies including ‘Girls Trip’ (which starred Hall), ‘Think Like A Man’, ‘Ride Along’ and many more, is the primary producer for this year’s show, and according to Variety, he’d been considering different options for hosts, including rotating between different pairs of presenters each hour of the ceremony. He has, apparently, now decided on just the three.

While even the single-host format isn’t a guarantee of quality, the multiple host idea has been fraught with problems (everyone remembers James Franco and Anne Hathaway), so you must wonder what the current trio will bring to the ceremony.

The actresses, who are not normally known for presenting, do at least have a lot of stand-up experience (Sykes and Schumer), and long, healthy acting resumes (Hall particularly), but the big challenge comes when you must be both funny and keep the show moving at a decent speed (so it doesn’t end up as 17 hours). Hopefully they’ll have the chance to write some of their own material, too.

While there had been some chatter about Tom Holland being asked to host, Variety has heard that Jon Hamm was a recent contender, but dropped out at the weekend. As of right now, the choice is still technically a rumor, but we can expect a formal announcement on Tuesday’s ‘Good Morning America’.

Jon Hamm Receiving an Emmy for his work on 'Mad Men.'

Following 2021’s pandemic-impacted ceremony at Los Angeles’ Union Station, this year’s event will be back at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood and at full capacity. There has been some controversy over the Academy’s decision to require negative Covid tests over vaccine proof, especially given the Academy itself insists its employees are vaccinated.

And that’s not the only difference this year. The Oscars are going the public vote route in a big way, looking to engage audiences (especially given last year’s lackluster viewing figures). In a move that sounds more American Idol than Academy awards, we’ll all get a chance to vote in a couple of categories outside of the main ballot.

You can vote for your “Favorite Movie” and “Movie Cheer moment” on twitter using the hashtags #OscarsFanFavorite, #OscarsCheerMoment and #Sweepstakes, or at the Academy Website. You’ll be entered into the sweepstakes, which offer a chance to attend next year’s event and win other prizes.

Cue hordes of fans supporting ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ or ‘Malignant’, though we’re not sure we'll see ‘Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway’ making a triumphant return to audience hearts.

The 2022 Academy Awards will happen on Sunday, March 27th. Our guide to the Oscar nominees can be found here.

Oscars Logo Courtesy of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences