The Academy is calling in the Avengers to help fix their Oscars mess

The Academy has a real mess on its hands with the 2019 Oscars, and they're hoping Earth's mightiest heroes can rescue them.

The group that puts on the Oscars has evidently settled on not having a single host this year; instead, the broadcast will feature a line-up of celebrities in different segments rather than being anchored around one person, as first reported by Variety and then by The Hollywood Reporter. But the Reporter adds that in an attempt to make up for the lack of host, the Academy's plan is to bring in the cast members of the Avengers films, among other stars.

It's unclear who might be available or how exactly they might be factored into the show, but the Reporter notes that ABC is hoping for as many Marvel stars as possible, noting that Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, and Samuel L. Jackson already appeared on 2013's show. Seeing as Disney owns both Marvel and ABC, the network that broadcasts the Oscars, this pairing does seem natural, especially since it can serve as a shameless plug for both Captain Marvel and Avengers: Endgame, the former of which opens just a week after the big night.

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Comedian Kevin Hart was originally tapped to host the Oscars, only to step down within days after past homophobic tweets resurfaced. Although the prospect of him returning to host was briefly raised last week, Hart ruled it out, and the Academy has apparently not been able to find a replacement. Now, Variety reports the group is "scrambling" to put together a star-studded lineup that would fill the void and draw in as many viewers as a big-name host might. After last year's dismal numbers, the Academy can only pray the Avengers will prevent their ratings from being snapped in half.