Eddie Murphy To Host 2012 Oscars

After trying out a pair of young Hollywood stars for last year's Oscars, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has settled on a seasoned vet to helm the 84th annual Academy Awards: Eddie Murphy. "I am enormously honored to join the great list of past Academy Award hosts from Hope and Carson to Crystal, Martin and Goldberg, among others," Murphy said in a statement. "I'm looking forward to working with [producers] Brett [Ratner] and Don [Mischer] on creating a show that is enjoyable for both the fans at home and for the audience at the Kodak Theatre as we all come together to celebrate and recognize the great film contributions and collaborations from the past year." Ratner is equally excited to re-team with Murphy, whom he directed in the upcoming "Tower Heist." "Eddie is a comedic genius, one of the greatest and most influential live performers ever," Ratner said. "With his love of movies, history of crafting unforgettable characters and his iconic performances — especially on stage — I know he will bring excitement, spontaneity and tremendous heart to the show Don and I want to produce in February." In other Oscar-related news, rumor has it that veteran host Billy Crystal will also be incorporated into the show. We still haven't heard much from new Oscars producer Ratner, however, other than his initial statement that the gig is "a dream come true." "This wasn't even in my dreams, it's so far out," he said last month. "This is something I never could have imagined." The filmmaker, who directed Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker in the "Rush Hour" comedy trilogy as well as 2006's comic book adaptation "X-Men: The Last Stand," isn't wasting any time in getting started on his plans for the show, which will air live from the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles on February 26, 2012. "Work begins now," he said. For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Eddie Murphy Photo: Getty Images