Entertainer Kevin Hart to host 90th Academy Awards

US comedian and actor Kevin Hart will host the 90th Academy Awards, he announced Tuesday.

"I am so happy to say that the day has finally come for me to host the Oscars," the 39-year-old said in an Instagram post.

The star of blockbuster comedies "Central Intelligence" and "Get Hard" said it was the "opportunity of a lifetime" to host the ultimate celebration of cinema.

"I am blown away simply because this has been a goal on my list for a long time... To be able to join the legendary list of hosts that have graced that stage is unbelievable," he added.

Hart has experience hosting the MTV Movie Awards with "Central Intelligence" co-star Dwayne Johnson, but he will be the main event at the Oscars for the first time next year.

It's a goal he referred to in 2015 during a breakfast television interview.

"That would be a major accomplishment. With what I've done and the progress I've made in my career, that's definitely the next major step, I feel, for a comedian. To say you've hosted the Oscars, to grace that stage, turn that event into a youthful night," he said.

The last two Academy Awards shows were hosted by late night host Jimmy Kimmel and saw declining viewer numbers both years, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

The 90th awards will be held at Hollywood's Dolby Theatre on February 24.