Producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron will return to the 2015 Oscars for their third consecutive year running the show. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences made the announcement on Monday for the 87th awards show just days after announcing the air date of Feb. 22. The early placement of the producers allows the work to begin early in the calendar year. "We couldn't be more thrilled to h
ave Craig and Neil back to produce the Oscars again in 2015," said academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs in a statement. "Their showmanship has elevated the show to new heights and we are excited to keep the momentum going." The 2014 show with host Ellen DeGeneres attracted the biggest viewership in 14 years with 45.4 million viewers and featured memorable moments such as DeGeneres taking a selfie with the likes of Brad Pitt and Meryl Streep. Twitter reported overload problems as the photo was sent around the Internet. "This year's show reached viewers of all ages and set social media records, proving that Craig and Neil are masters at tapping into the zeitgeist," said Academy CEO Dawn Hudson in the statement. The duo also produced the 2013 Oscars with host Seth MacFarlane, which also was a ratings success. Zadan and Meron have not had a break in their workload and even produced the successful Sound of Music Live! In a statement Zadan and Meron said they were "delighted" to produce the 2015 show. As for the lack of break, Meron addressed that in an interview with USA TODAY in February. "There is a philosophy that it's good to stop," he said. "But it's been such an unbelievable ride on these projects. It's not like they are even jobs."
