“Star Trek” fans are going to have no shortage of ways to celebrate the iconic sci-fi franchise’s 60th anniversary.
Variety has learned exclusively that a whole suite of fan events, screenings, and partnerships are rolling out across the globe as part of the landmark anniversary, which is officially on Sept. 8, the date in 1966 when “Star Trek” first premiered on television.
Among the many events planned for the anniversary, there will be a free outdoor screening of the original series episode “The Man Trap” and the new “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” episode “Orders of Magnitude” at the Autry Museum in Los Angeles on Sept. 8. That event will also feature talent appearances, food trucks and giveaways.
Speaking of screenings, 4K restorations of classic “Star Trek” films paired with original series episodes will air on more than 750 theaters across the U.S. from Sept. 4-8. But given the fact that “Star Trek” has always been a small screen franchise first and foremost, there will also be major TV components to the anniversary.
“Entertainment Tonight” will air a special “ET Vault Unlocked” episode on Sept. 7 featuring interviews with series creator Gene Roddenberry and cast members across the franchise, as well as archival footage. Both “The Price Is Right” and “Let’s Make a Deal” will air special “Star Trek” themed episodes on Sept. 8, while Nick at Nite will air a marathon of “The Big Bang Theory’s” best “Star Trek” focused episodes on Sept. 8 as well.
Fans can also get in on a world record attempt to be part of “Star Trek” history. On Sept. 8 at the Science Museum in London, fans can join the attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the most people performing the Vulcan Salute simultaneously.
Check out the full list of events, partnerships, and programming lineups below.
STAR TREK WORLDWIDE EVENTS
–Star Trek Under the Stars Screening in Los Angeles On Sept. 8, fans can attend a free outdoor screening of STAR TREK: THE ORIGINAL SERIES episode “The Man Trap” and an advance screening of STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS episode “Orders of Magnitude” at the Autry Museum, with talent appearances, food trucks and giveaways.
–Gene Roddenberry Star on Hollywood Boulevard Restoration The Roddenberry family, the Hollywood Historic Trust and the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce will partner to celebrate a restored “Star” plaque for Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, which was first introduced in 1985, right on Hollywood Boulevard.
–Star Trek x Samsung Flagship Store in London On Sept. 8, Samsung’s King’s Cross store will host Star Trek-themed screenings and activations as part of a UK partnership celebrating the franchise’s 60th anniversary in partnership with Paramount+.
–Star Trek x London Underground Takeover From Sept. 7-8, King’s Cross St Pancras and South Kensington stations will feature Star Trek-themed takeovers marking key stops on a four-destination fan trail across the capital.
–Star Trek Vulcan Salute and Guinness World Records Attempt Unite Fans at the Science Museum in London On Sept. 8, fans around the world are invited to take part in the Star Trek Vulcan Salute, a global digital celebration of connection, community and optimism that will culminate in an official Guinness World Records™ attempt for the Most People Performing the Vulcan Salute simultaneously at the Science Museum in London. As part of the museum’s free, adults-only Star Trek Lates event celebrating the franchise’s 60th anniversary.
–Movie Park Germany Celebration Movie Park Germany will host a Sept. 8 Star Trek Day event featuring live entertainment, fan activities, cosplay, special guests and participation in the global Vulcan Salute attempt and experience the park’s Star Trek-themed attraction, plus props and costumes exhibit.
STAR TREK RETURNS TO THEATERS NATIONWIDE
–More than 750 theaters across the U.S. will screen restored 4K presentations of classic Star Trek films paired with episodes of STAR TREK: THE ORIGINAL SERIES making their theatrical debut, from September 4-8. Fans attending will also have the first opportunity to purchase limited-edition Star Trek “Enterprise” popcorn vessels and commemorative drink cups at participating theaters, while supplies last.
STAR TREK PARTNERSHIPS
–European Space Agency Takes Star Trek Into Orbit ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot will wear the Captain’s Delta badge from STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS aboard the International Space Station, with special content from orbit premiering Sept. 8.
–DarkSky International Champion Exploration Star Trek is partnering with DarkSky International to encourage fans to explore, protect and appreciate night skies and natural landscapes for future generations.
–National Park Foundation: Going Boldly, Exploring Other Worldly Parks Through Sept. 8, Star Trek and the National Park Foundation are celebrating the franchise’s 60th anniversary with digital content encouraging fans to explore national parks, dark skies and places that inspire discovery.
STAR TREK TELEVISION PROGRAMMING
–Sept. 7 | ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT: ET VAULT UNLOCKED Star Trek Special ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT airs a special ET VAULT UNLOCKED episode featuring interviews with Gene Roddenberry and cast members from across the franchise, along with archival behind-the-scenes footage from Star Trek television series and films.
–Sept. 8 | THE PRICE IS RIGHT & LET’S MAKE A DEAL Star Trek Specials THE PRICE IS RIGHT and LET’S MAKE A DEAL celebrate Star Trek with themed surprises and special guests, including STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS stars Rebecca Romijn and Ethan Peck. Episodes air on CBS and stream on Paramount+.
—Sept. 8 | STAR TREK: SCOUTS Season 2 Premiere Season 2 of STAR TREK: SCOUTS launches on YouTube, continuing the adventures of JR, Sprocket and Roo as they train to become Starfleet Explorers.
–Sept. 8 | THE BIG BANG THEORY Star Trek Day Marathon Nick at Nite presents a marathon of THE BIG BANG THEORY’s most memorable Star Trek-themed episodes from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. ET/PT, featuring convention adventures, character tributes and guest stars from the franchise.
–Sept. 24 | STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS Season 4 Finale STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS concludes its fourth season on Paramount+, with the series set to return for its fifth and final season in 2027.
STAR TREK AWARDS & PANELS
–Broadcasting+Cable Hall of Fame Honor In recognition of six decades of groundbreaking storytelling and cultural influence Star Trek will receive the Franchise of the Year Award at the 2026 Broadcasting+Cable Hall of Fame ceremony in New York City on Sept. 29.
–New York Comic Con Panel On Oct. 10, the Star Trek Universe panel at New York Comic Con will feature a preview of STAR TREK: STARFLEET ACADEMY, discussion of its second season and appearances by surprise guests celebrating the franchise’s 60th anniversary.
STAR TREK PRODUCT LAUNCHES
–LEGO Icons Star Trek U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 Bridge Set The LEGO Group and Paramount Products & Experiences will release the LEGO Icons Star Trek: U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701™ Bridge (11385) on Tuesday, Sept. 1. The 1,701-piece collector’s set recreates the original series bridge and transporter room and includes eight Starfleet minifigures. Available for pre-order now via LEGO Stores/Star-Trek and LEGO.com.
–Magic: The Gathering x Star Trek Launching Nov. 13, a dedicated Magic: The Gathering set will bring iconic Star Trek characters and elements from across the franchise to tabletop gaming audiences worldwide.
–Star Trek Timelines DK Publishing’s Star Trek Timelines, releasing Nov. 17, explores key events, alternate realities and character journeys from across the franchise.
–Original Saurian Brandy Star Trek Spirits has unveiled the first officially realized Original Saurian Brandy, inspired by the iconic bottle first seen in the 1966 Star Trek episode “The Man Trap.”
–The Royal Mint & Agoro – Star Trek 60th Anniversary Coins The Royal Mint is launching two collectable 50p coins to celebrate the global phenomenon and its intergalactic legacy on Sept 3. Agoro will also be recognizing the iconic series with a 5g 999 pure silver/gold foil blind box on September 18th.
For full details of all Star Trek 60th events, activations and partnerships, please visit StarTrek.com for details
A new musical based on the character and penned by Emma Thompson — who starred in and wrote the screenplay for the beloved 2005 film and its sequel — is set to world premiere in London next summer.
“When the mysterious figure of Nanny McPhee arrives at the Browns’ door she discovers a household in chaos; anarchic children who have driven away every Nanny before her, a desperate father, a donkey that is out of control, and a baby who will stop at nothing,” a synopsis for the musical reads. “Armed with her strange knobbly stick, exceedingly unorthodox methods and quite a lot of magic, Nanny McPhee begins to restore harmony. And as it turns out, the children aren’t the only family members who have lessons to learn.”
Alongside Thompson, the “Nanny McPhee” musical will feature music from Gary Clark, frontman of the band Danny Wilson who wrote the music for the “Sing Street” musical and film, with the two collaborating on lyrics. Katy Rudd (“Ballet Shoes,” “The Ocean at the End of the Lane”) is set to direct, with set and costume designs from Tony and Olivier winner Rob Howell and choreography by Ellen Kane, both of whom worked on “Matilda the Musical.”
“I’ve lived with Nanny McPhee for so long that to see her finally tread the boards is supremely exciting,” Thompson said in a statement. “Theater feels like her natural home — magic, music, mischief and a good dollop of danger can all happen right in front of you. Working with Gary Clark to create the musical heart that beats through the story has been an unforgettable journey of a lifetime. And I am thrilled and so proud that the brilliant Katy Rudd will be bringing it all to life with her inimitable witty wonderment. I can’t wait to introduce the all-new Nanny McPhee to audiences next summer.”
The creative team also includes orchestrations by Tony and Olivier winner Simon Hale (“Spring Awakening,” “Girl From the North Country”) and music supervision by Nigel Lilley (“Follies,” “Next to Normal”), with music arrangements by the duo. Lighting is by Howard Hudson (“& Juliet,” “Starlight Express”), sound design by Olivier and Tony Award-winning Ian Dickinson for Autograph (“Company,” “Angels in America”), illusions by Chris Fisher (“Stranger Things: The First Shadow,” “Back to the Future: The Musical”), puppetry by Samuel Wyer (“Wolf Witch, Giant, Fairy” and “The Ocean at the End of the Lane”), projections by Tony and Olivier Award-winning Andrzej Goulding (“Life of Pi,” “& Juliet”) and casting by Natalie Gallacher CDG (for Pippa Aillon and Natalie Gallacher Casting). The show will be general managed by Playful Productions.
The “Nanny McPhee” musical is presented by Working Title Films and Universal Theatrical Group and produced by Thompson, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Lindsay Doran, Paul Warwick Griffin, Gareth Hewitt Williams and Rebecca Quigley for Working Title Films.
Channel 5 boss Ben Frow said he would never have commissioned a drama about Sarah Everard for his network.
Jeff Pope is penning a drama about the investigation into Everard’s 2021 murder for the BBC.
Frow, chief content officer at Paramount-owned public service broadcaster 5, said that while he was sure Pope would do a “great job of it” and it’s “a very important story to tell” he would not have commissioned that story.
Explaining his touchstones for commissioning, Frow said they consist of “would I watch it?” then “Is it more trouble than it’s worth?” and finally, “Why am I doing it?”
“There are some things I just wouldn’t do,” he said, pointing to the Everard drama as one of them.
While the BBC show will not dramatize Everard’s kidnap and murder by an off duty policeman during the Covid lockdowns, instead focusing on the investigation, the network has been criticized for selecting a male screenwriter to pen a drama about a murder that was viewed as deeply personal to women across the country and prompted protests at the time (even Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge was spotted laying flowers at a memorial for Everard at the time).
However Frow has not stayed away from controversial topics, including a drama about Huw Edwards, the BBC newsreader convicted for downloading images of child sexual abuse, and another about Madeleine McCann, the toddler who infamously disappeared in 2007 in Portugal during a family holiday. She has never been found.
“The McCanns’ press guy… he was across the whole thing,” Frow said. “They didn’t want to take part in it, but they knew we were doing it.”
Frow went on to say that contributor welfare and privacy is a much more important consideration today than it was ten years ago. “I think the big message that we embrace is that we have to have people on board, and we want to be able to tell their story, and we want to do it in a responsible way, and not in a sneery, jeery, horrible way,” he explained.
Touching on a lawsuit filed recently by production company Blackbox Media against 5 over a shelved drama series, Frow said he couldn’t take in depth about the legal dispute but added: “What I can say is I can reiterate that we take contributor welfare very, very seriously, and if somebody calls and says, ‘I have a problem with that,’ we listen to them.”
“And in some cases, that means that you just you decide that you can no longer do that program,” he continued. “And there are programs that I have written off because it turns out that somebody feels very strongly that we shouldn’t be doing it, or it’s been done in the wrong way. So it’s something to be very mindful of.”
Patrick Holland is set to stay in place as executive chairman and CEO of Banijay U.K. following the company’s merger with All3Media.
He will report to Banijay Entertainment CEO Marco Bassetti.
The $8 billion merger with All3Media completed last month resulting in the behemoth Banijay Entertainment, which is headquartered in London and jointly owned by the Banijay Group and RedBird IMI, with each holding a 50% stake.
RedBird IMI’s Jeff Zucker serves as Chairman, Bassetti as CEO and All3Media CEO Jane Turton as the new consolidated company’s deputy CEO.
The merger raised a number of questions about synergies, particularly on the distribution side of the business.
Holland is the first senior executive confirmed to stay in place. He joined Banijay U.K. in 2022 from the BBC, where he was director for factual, arts and classical music and in his time at the company has shepherded projects including “Half Man,” “House of Guinness” and “Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man.” He also launched talent investment fund Banijay U.K. Growth in 2023.
At the post-merger Banijay U.K. he will oversee most of the majority of the combined U.K. portfolio, comprised of around 40 labels.
“Having local experts at the helm of our regional portfolios was always a strategic priority, and in the U.K., we are pleased to confirm Patrick as our onward lead,” said Bassetti. “Here we have an expansive portfolio which continues to go from strength-to-strength, particularly with the injection of All3Media’s producers, and with an expert team at the helm, we have no doubt we can maintain a healthy growth trajectory.”
Holland said: “The range and depth of phenomenal talent across All3 and Banijay U.K. is truly inspiring and I’m excited to help unlock the vast potential of bringing these businesses together.”
Emmy voting is now closed, and not a moment too soon.
Every year, more than 27,000 members of the Television Academy — actors and editors, showrunners and composers, the people who actually make television — sit down with their ballots and decide who walks away with an Emmy. And every year, almost none of them will tell us, on the record, what they really think.
So, like we do with Oscar voters, we reached out to a few of them ourselves.
In the final days of voting for the 78th Emmy Awards, Variety spoke with dozens of Academy members across the organization’s 31 professional peer groups — the specialty divisions that sort the membership by craft, from performers to picture editors — and promised each of them anonymity in exchange for total candor. What we saw was a very small snapshot of where the race could go when awards are handed out across the first two weekends in September.
Every voter was also asked the same four questions off the ballot — their biggest snub, the most overspent FYC campaign, the network or streamer having the best season and the one win that would actually move the business. Their answers close each entry.
In the categories deemed “area awards” — hosted nonfiction and variety series — voters have the opportunity to select multiple nominees by answering a simple question: Does this show deserve an Emmy? Yes or No. Interestingly, not one voter Variety spoke with checked “Yes” for every nominee, and only four of those surveyed selected more than one. That strongly suggests voters aren’t viewing these categories as an opportunity to spread the wealth, but rather as a traditional “may the best show win” competition.
Ballots have been edited for length and, where necessary, to protect identities.
The opinions are their own. They’re contradictory, occasionally indefensible and, at least for the purposes of this article, the only ones that matter.
Notably, and vitally important to point out, 10 ballots are not an official presidential poll. They are barely even a focus group. But what you get is a window into a small, unscientific and anecdotal sample of a voting body of more than 20,000 industry professionals. Nobody should mistake this for a forecast, and the voters themselves would be the first to tell you as well (except for one, anyway).
What these conversations reveal, year after year, is how little of the field any one voter has actually seen. Most watch a fraction of what they’re voting on, then default to what they feel they’re supposed to pick — the title everyone’s talking about. It’s a very human way to fill out a ballot, and it makes Emmy voters a notably more out-of-the-loop bunch than the Oscar crowd I sample every season, who at least tend to show they’ve done their homework.
If you fold in what these 10 told us — and what they suspect their colleagues are quietly doing — the picture that emerges looks an awful lot like the one the pundits have been sketching all along.
“The Pitt” looks poised to take drama in a runaway. Comedy is most definitely “Widow’s Bay” against “Hacks,” though the freshman holds a considerable edge over the departing champ. And in limited series, the expected “Beef” vs. “DTF St. Louis” duel is real — but I was struck by how much affection kept surfacing for “The Beast in Me.” Call it, at the very least, a spoiler worth watching.
The first two nights celebrating the artisans and the Governors Gala will take place on Sept. 5-6. The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards air Sept. 14 on NBC.
Final Emmy predictions will be revealed before the first ceremony date.
Noah Wyle in “The Pitt”
HBO Max
VOTER 1 — The Suit Who Didn’t Watch but Voted Anyway
Peer group: Television Executives
“Who has time to watch all this crap?”
Official votes submitted:
Drama Series: “The Pitt”
Comedy Series: “Widow’s Bay”
Limited or Anthology Series: “All Her Fault”
Movie: “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Ghost War”
Game Show: “Jeopardy!”
Hosted or Nonfiction Series: “The Daily Show Presents: Jordan Klepper Fingers the Pulse: Give the Man a Prize” (Y); “Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates Jr.” (No); “My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman” (No); “The Reluctant Traveler with Eugene Levy” (No); “Tucci in Italy” (No)
Reality Competition Program: “Survivor”
Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series: “Colbert Before Air”
Short Form Nonfiction or Reality Series: “Inside the Pitt”
Variety Series: “The Daily Show” (Y); “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (No); “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” (No); “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (Y); “Saturday Night Live” (No)
Variety Special (Live): “68th Annual Grammy Awards”
Variety Special (Pre-Recorded): “Dave Chappelle: The Unstoppable …”
Biggest snub: “The Testaments” Most overspent FYC campaign: “The Pitt” Network/streamer having the best season: HBO A win that would actually move the business: “Widow’s Bay”
VOTER 2 — The Actor Who’s Voted “Hacks” Every Year Since the Start
Peer group: Performers
“I don’t know a single person who watches all the nominees. Who has time? … I’ve loved ‘Hacks’ since the beginning and have voted for it every year it’s on the air.”
Official votes submitted:
Drama Series: “Paradise”
Comedy Series: “Hacks”
Limited or Anthology Series: “Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette”
Movie: “Remarkably Bright Creatures”
Game Show: “Celebrity Family Feud”
Hosted or Nonfiction Series: “Finding Your Roots With Henry Louis Gates Jr.” (Y); rest (No)
Reality Competition Program: “The Traitors”
Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series: “SubwayTakes with Kareem Rahma”
Short Form Nonfiction or Reality Series: “This Is a Gardening Show”
Variety Special (Live): “The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny”
Variety Special (Pre-Recorded): “Nikki Glaser: Good Girl”
Peer group ballot — Performers:
Lead Actor in a Drama Series: Sterling K. Brown, “Paradise”
Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Zendaya, “Euphoria”
Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Billy Crudup, “The Morning Show”
Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Julianne Nicholson, “Paradise”
Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, “Wonder Man”
Lead Actress in a Comedy Series: Jean Smart, “Hacks”
Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Colman Domingo, “The Four Seasons”
Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Hannah Einbinder, “Hacks”
Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Charlie Hunnam, “Monster: The Ed Gein Story”
Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Sarah Pidgeon, “Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette”
Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Richard Gadd, “Half Man”
Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Constance Zimmer, “Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette”
Guest Actor in a Drama Series: Colman Domingo, “Euphoria”
Guest Actress in a Drama Series: Shailene Woodley, “Paradise”
Guest Actor in a Comedy Series: Christopher McDonald, “Hacks”
Guest Actress in a Comedy Series: Leslie Bibb, “Hacks”
Biggest snub: Jamie Bell, “Half Man” Most overspent FYC campaign: Anything Apple Network/streamer having the best season: Apple A win that would actually move the business: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II
Robert Clark
VOTER 3 — All In on ‘Widow’s Bay’ and Claire Danes
Peer group: Casting Directors
“The same stuff is nominated every year and it’s hard for new things to break in. I’m all in on ‘Widow’s Bay’ … I did not see ‘Beef’ or ‘DTF St. Louis’ — I’m rooting for Claire Danes!”
Official votes submitted:
Drama Series: “Paradise”
Comedy Series: “Widow’s Bay”
Limited or Anthology Series: “The Beast in Me”
Movie: “Remarkably Bright Creatures”
Game Show: “Celebrity Family Feud”
Hosted or Nonfiction Series: “Tucci in Italy”
Reality Competition Program: “The Traitors”
Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series: “SubwayTakes With Kareem Rahma”
Short Form Nonfiction or Reality Series: “Inside the Pitt”
Structured Reality: “Shark Tank”
Unstructured Reality: “Love on the Spectrum”
Variety Series: “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert”
Variety Special (Live): “The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny”
Variety Special (Pre-Recorded): “Wicked: One Wonderful Night”
Peer group ballot — Casting Directors:
Casting for a Comedy Series: “Widow’s Bay”
Casting for a Drama Series: “Paradise”
Casting for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: “The Beast in Me”
Casting for a Reality Program: “Love on the Spectrum”
Biggest snub: “Game Changer” (Outstanding Game Show) and “Age of Attraction” (casting) Most overspent FYC campaign: “Widow’s Bay” Network/streamer having the best season: Hulu A win that would actually move the business: “SubwayTakes With Kareem Rahma”
Netflix
VOTER 4 — ‘The Whole Industry Is Now Completely F—ed’
Peer group: Cinematographers
“This year shows how this whole industry is now completely fucked!”
Official votes submitted:
Drama Series: “The Pitt”
Comedy Series: “Widow’s Bay”
Limited or Anthology Series: “Beef”
Movie: “Remarkably Bright Creatures”
Game Show: Abstain
Hosted or Nonfiction Series: Abstain
Reality Competition Program: Abstain
Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series: “Bad Thoughts”
Short Form Nonfiction or Reality Series: “This Is a Gardening Show”
Structured Reality: “Shark Tank”
Unstructured Reality: “Welcome to Wrexham”
Variety Series: “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
Variety Special (Live): “The Oscars”
Variety Special (Pre-Recorded): “Wicked: One Wonderful Night”
Peer group ballot — Cinematographers:
Cinematography for a Series (Half-Hour): “Widow’s Bay” — “Our History”
Cinematography for a Series (One Hour): “Alien: Earth” — “Neverland”
Cinematography for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: “Beef” — “It Will Stay This Way and You Will Obey”
Cinematography for a Nonfiction Program: “The Tale of Silyan”
Cinematography for a Reality Program: “Welcome to Wrexham”
Biggest snub: “Task” Most overspent FYC campaign: “Widow’s Bay” and “Hacks” Network/streamer having the best season: The streamers A win that would actually move the business: Any broadcast show
Jason Bateman and Linda Cardellini in “DTF St. Louis”
HBO Max
VOTER 5 — The Voter Who Thinks We Should Predict Based on Their Ballot
Peer group: Daytime Programming
“I loved so much of this year’s television. … Everyone I spoke to about their ballots, many of them look just like mine. I’m not a predicting guru like you, but I think mine is the right ballot to predict.”
Official votes submitted:
Drama Series: “The Pitt”
Comedy Series: “Widow’s Bay”
Limited or Anthology Series: “DTF St. Louis”
Movie: “Remarkably Bright Creatures”
Game Show: “Jeopardy”
Hosted or Nonfiction Series: “My Next Guest Needs No Introduction With David Letterman” (Y); rest (No)
Reality Competition Program: “The Traitors”
Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series: “Bad Thoughts”
Short Form Nonfiction or Reality Series: “Inside the Pitt”
Structured Reality: “Love Is Blind”
Unstructured Reality: “Summer House”
Variety Series: “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (Y); rest (No)
Variety Special (Live): “The Oscars”
Variety Special (Pre-Recorded): “The Muppet Show”
Biggest snub: K Callan, “Widow’s Bay” Most overspent FYC campaign: All of them. Network/streamer having the best season: HBO and Netflix A win that would actually move the business: Everyone from “Widow’s Bay”
Courtesy of Apple
VOTER 6 — The Cynic Who Says It’s All About Who You Know
Peer group: Music
“I wish there was a better way to do all these award nominations. If you have friends in this industry, you get your name on the list — even if you’ve made a piece of shit.”
Official votes submitted:
Drama Series: “Pluribus”
Comedy Series: “Widow’s Bay”
Limited or Anthology Series: “Beef”
Movie: “Miss You, Love You”
Game Show: Does not recall
Hosted or Nonfiction Series: Abstain
Reality Competition Program: “Top Chef”
Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series: Abstain
Short Form Nonfiction or Reality Series: Abstain
Structured Reality: “Queer Eye”
Unstructured Reality: “Love on the Spectrum”
Variety Series: “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert”
Variety Special (Live): “The Oscars”
Variety Special (Pre-Recorded): “The Muppet Show”
Peer group ballot — Music:
Original Main Title Theme Music: “Pluribus”
Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score): “Widow’s Bay” — “Our History”
Music Composition for a Limited or Anthology Series, Movie or Special (Original Dramatic Score): “The Beast in Me” — “The Beast and Me”
Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special (Original Dramatic Score): “John Candy: I Like Me” — Tyler Strickland
Original Music and Lyrics: “Spider-Noir” — “The Devil You Know”
Music Direction: “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” — “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert Series Finale”
Music Supervision: “Widow’s Bay” — “Beach Reads”
Biggest snub: “High Potential” Most overspent FYC campaign: Disney Network/streamer having the best season: Peacock A win that would actually move the business: The actors who self-submitted from “The Pitt”
VOTER 7 — An Actor’s Director, Smitten With Bateman and Offerman
Peer group: Directors
“I love Jason Bateman in ‘Black Rabbit’ and Nick Offerman in both of his TV shows.”
Official votes submitted:
Drama Series: “The Diplomat”
Comedy Series: “Shrinking”
Limited or Anthology Series: “DTF St. Louis”
Movie: “Miss You, Love You”
Game Show: “Jeopardy”
Hosted or Nonfiction Series: “Tucci in Italy”
Reality Competition Program: “The Traitors”
Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series: “Bad Thoughts”
Short Form Nonfiction or Reality Series: “Inside the Pitt”
Structured Reality: “Shark Tank”
Unstructured Reality: “Love on the Spectrum”
Variety Series: “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver”
Variety Special (Live): “The Oscars”
Variety Special (Pre-Recorded): “Taylor Swift | the Eras Tour | the Final Show”
Peer group ballot — Directors:
Directing for a Comedy Series: “Widow’s Bay” — “Welcome to Widow’s Bay”
Directing for a Drama Series: “Task” — “Out Beyond Ideas of Wrongdoing and Rightdoing, There Is a River”
Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: “Black Rabbit”
Directing for a Variety Series: “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” — “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Series Finale”
Directing for a Variety Special: “The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny”
Directing for a Reality Program: “The Traitors” — “Let the Cards Fall as They Will”
Directing for a Nonfiction Program: “Mel Brooks: The 99-Year Old Man!”
Biggest snub: Michael Shannon, “Death by Lightning” Most overspent FYC campaign: The talk show hosts Network/streamer having the best season: Netflix A win that would actually move the business: Salli Richardson-Whitfield
VOTER 8 — The Writer Who Already Knows How This Ends
Peer group: Writers
“It’s a weird year. I liked a lot of the shows and performances nominated, but I feel like we know what’s going to win, and it can make you feel like, ‘What’s the point?’”
Official votes submitted:
Drama Series: “Pluribus”
Comedy Series: “Widow’s Bay”
Limited or Anthology Series: “DTF St. Louis”
Movie: “Remarkably Bright Creatures”
Game Show: “Jeopardy!”
Hosted or Nonfiction Series: “Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates Jr.”
Reality Competition Program: “RuPaul’s Drag Race”
Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series: “The Daily Show: Desi Lydic Foxsplains”
Short Form Nonfiction or Reality Series: “Hacks: Bit by Bit”
Variety Series: “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert”
Variety Special (Live): “78th Annual Tony Awards”
Variety Special (Pre-Recorded): “The Muppet Show”
Peer group ballot — Writers:
Writing for a Comedy Series: “Widow’s Bay” — “Welcome to Widow’s Bay!”
Writing for a Drama Series: “Slow Horses” — “Scars”
Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: “The Beast in Me” — “Sick Puppy”
Writing for a Variety Series: “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver”
Writing for a Variety Special: “The Muppet Show”
Writing for a Nonfiction Program: “The American Revolution”
Courtesy of Netflix
VOTER 9 — The Editor Missing Dolly Parton
Peer group: Picture Editors
“How can we vote when Dolly Parton is gone?”
Official votes submitted:
Drama Series: “Pluribus”
Comedy Series: “Hacks”
Limited or Anthology Series: “The Beast in Me”
Movie: “Heads of State”
Game Show: “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire”
Hosted or Nonfiction Series: “Tucci in Italy”
Reality Competition Program: “Dancing With the Stars”
Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series: “Bad Thoughts”
Short Form Nonfiction or Reality Series: “Hacks: Bit by Bit”
Structured Reality: “Queer Eye”
Unstructured Reality: “Love on the Spectrum”
Variety Series: “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert”
Variety Special (Live): “The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny”
Variety Special (Pre-Recorded): “Wicked: One Wonderful Night”
Peer group ballot — Picture Editors:
Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series: “Hacks” — “The Cube”
Multi-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series: “The Upshaws” — “Election Day”
Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series: “Pluribus” — “We Is Us”
Picture Editing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: “Black Rabbit” — “Isle of Joy”
Picture Editing for Variety Programming: “Wanda Sykes: Legacy”
Picture Editing for Variety Programming (Segment): “The Daily Show” — “RFK Hospital: An Original Series Inspired by the Medical Advice of RFK Jr.”
Picture Editing for a Nonfiction Program: “Sean Combs: The Reckoning” — “Blink Again”
Picture Editing for a Structured or Competition Reality Program: “The Traitors” — “The Death Conga”
Picture Editing for an Unstructured Reality Program: “Deadliest Catch” — “Kings of the Frozen North”
Biggest snub: “Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat” Most overspent FYC campaign: Apple and Amazon Network/streamer having the best season: HBO and Netflix A win that would actually move the business: “Hacks”
“Survivor”
Robert Voets/CBS
VOTER 10 — The Academy Turns Up Its Nose at the Shows People Watch
Peer group: Reality programming
“’Real Housewives’ and ‘The Valley’ are way overdue for love. They’re the most-watched shows anywhere, and the Academy turns up its nose at them.”
Official votes submitted:
Drama Series: “The Pitt”
Comedy Series: “Widow’s Bay”
Limited or Anthology Series: “Beef”
Movie: “Remarkably Bright Creatures”
Game Show: “Wheel of Fortune”
Hosted or Nonfiction Series: “The Reluctant Traveler With Eugene Levy”
Reality Competition Program: “Survivor”
Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series: “SubwayTakes with Kareem Rahma”
Short Form Nonfiction or Reality Series: “Inside the Pitt”
Structured Reality: “Shark Tank”
Unstructured Reality: “Love on the Spectrum”
Variety Series: “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert”
Variety Special (Live): “The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny”
Variety Special (Pre-Recorded): “Dave Chappelle: The Unstoppable …”
Peer group ballot — Reality Programming:
Host for a Reality or Competition Program: Jeff Probst, “Survivor”
Host for a Game Show: Martin Short, “Match Game”
Biggest snub: “The Real Housewives of Rhode Island” Most overspent FYC campaign: All of them Network/streamer having the best season: HBO and Apple A win that would actually move the business: “Survivor”
“Last Man in Tower,” the Aravind Adiga adaptation starring Manoj Bajpayee, is headed to Indian theaters this September and has unveiled its first teaser.
The film, directed by Ben Rekhi and produced by Rana Daggubati‘s Spirit Media, will mark the first time Bajpayee and co-star Boman Irani have shared the screen.
Adapted from Adiga’s novel of the same name – the author also wrote Booker-winning “The White Tiger” – the screenplay was written by Sooni Taraporevala, with Hindi-language dialogue by Juhi Chaturvedi. Divya Dutta completes the principal trio, with Sukant Goel also in the cast.
The story follows Masterji, a retired schoolteacher whose refusal to go along with those around him places him in direct conflict with his own community. His act of quiet resistance ripples outward, throwing into relief the choices and compromises of neighbors – including Mrs. Puri – as an offer of change tests what each of them is willing to hold on to.
Rekhi said: “It’s been a deeply fulfilling experience bringing ‘Last Man in Tower’ to life with an incredible team top to bottom, from Rana Daggubati producing, to Sooni Taraporevala scripting, all based on Aravind Adiga’s incredible book. The most rewarding part has been witnessing the power of Manoj and Boman – two giants of cinema – working together for the first time in this film. Divya brings an incredible depth and emotional strength to the ensemble, and the combination of these three actors makes the world of the film particularly special. ‘Last Man in Tower’ is an urgent story about holding onto community and family through turbulent times… a story that has only become more relevant with time.”
The release will also be a milestone for Spirit Media, the Hyderabad-based company “Baahubali” star Daggubati founded in 2005: it is the outfit’s first Hindi feature production.
Daggubati said: “‘Last Man in Tower’ is a deeply human story. What drew us to it was how naturally it finds something universal in the lives of a very specific group of people. There is something very compelling about the way it explores the choices we make and the things we hold on to. The entire ensemble of cast led by Manoj, Divya, and Boman bring an incredible depth to their characters. ‘Last Man in Tower’ also marks an important milestone for Spirit Media as our first Hindi feature production, and our continued effort towards creating space for fresh new stories and voices for the big-screen audience.”
Rekhi is a Los Angeles-based director whose credits include the SXSW Audience Award-winning “Waterborne” and “Watch List,” which earned 11 nominations at the Filipino Oscars and won two. His documentary short “The Breakthrough Group” was qualified for the 2026 Academy Awards in the best documentary short subject category. “Last Man in Tower” is his sixth feature.
Music is by Govind Vasantha; cinematography by Rangarajan Ramabadran. Additional producers are Guneet Dogra and Pratiksha Rao.
“Last Man in Tower” opens in Indian theaters on Sept. 11.
The film brings Roy back to the Lido one year after she became the first Indian filmmaker to win the Horizons best director prize, an honor she took for her debut feature, “Songs of Forgotten Trees.”
Set amid Mumbai’s restless nightlife, “Lovers in the Blue Night” centers on four migrants whose lives intertwine: a husband hiding his sexuality, his lonely wife who works in a bar, a petty criminal and a man who trades in sex work. Their paths converge through unlikely romance, hidden longing and a shared fight to survive and belong.
“We were deeply impressed by the film’s delicate and nuanced portrayal of human emotions,” said Parallax’s Liuying Cao. “Rather than relying on dramatic gestures, it finds remarkable strength in subtle moments, which stayed with us long after the screening. We are also very excited by Anuparna Roy’s distinct directorial voice. We sincerely hope to accompany her and her future works on their international journey, beginning with ‘Lovers in the Blue Night.’”
The production is backed by Vikas Kumar of Khan & Kumar Media, Sharib Khan of Ammi Media, Bibhanshu Rai and Romil Modi, who previously worked together on Roy’s “Songs of Forgotten Trees.” The team has since grown with the addition of U.S.-based Rhet Topham as producer, U.S.-based Beesham Sreecharan as executive producer and London-based Amar Singh as associate producer, joining executive producer Neeraj Churi.
The cast includes Neelima Sharma, Pritam Pilania, Bhushan Shimpi, Jatin Sarin, Kajal Keshav, Swetha Mishra and Vinod Suryavanshi. Roy also wrote the story. Debjit Samanta served as cinematographer, Ketul Thakkar edited the film and Nishant Ramtake composed the original score.
Pedro Pina, YouTube’s vice president for Europe, Middle East and Africa, used this year’s James MacTaggart Memorial Lecture at the Edinburgh TV Festival to challenge the narrative that the platform is a villain in British television’s decline. Instead, he argued that it is increasingly feeding the sector with talent, audiences and revenue — and backed that pitch with a fresh £3 million ($4 million) commitment to the U.K. industry.
The speech comes at a crucial moment for YouTube in Europe, as the European Commission reviews the rules governing the audiovisual sector and considers how to create a more level playing field between traditional media groups and newer digital serices. The process has put renewed focus on whether platforms such as YouTube should face more of the obligations imposed on broadcasters and streaming services, including requirements around investment in European content.
Netflix has been among those pressing the case that YouTube should no longer be treated as a different business. Co-CEO Ted Sarandos argued in Brussels earlier this year that YouTube had become a “straightforward competitor” to streaming services.
Against that backdrop, Pina’s speech asserted the platform should be regarded as a partner to television, rather than a tech giant extracting audiences and value from it.
Pina described the prevailing account of the industry’s predicament as a “well-scripted tragedy,” with British television as the fallen hero and online platforms as the obvious antagonist. “It’s a powerful story. An emotive story,” Pina said. “The trouble is that it is not true.”
The $4 million will be invested over the next three years in supporting new entrants and re-skilling mid-career professionals. YouTube will also expand its partnership with the National Film and Television School, with capacity on its sponsored Creator Incubator set to increase tenfold.
The executive, who was born in Portugal but said he was raised on British television, drew a parallel with the invention of photography and how it disrupted the world of painting, ultimately benefiting it. “Far from destroying visual art, photography helped it mature as a medium,” he said.
He suggested that YouTube and traditional television are now experiencing something similar, and urged producers and broadcasters to just “focus on the things TV does best.”
Pina also said Britain may be on the cusp of a third golden age of television, and argued YouTube is one of the key driving forces behind this upward trend, pointing to a wealth of creative talent and rising audience demand.
Pina framed both previous television “golden ages” as products of disruption rather than stability. The emergence of television forced Hollywood to adapt in the 1950s, while the proliferation of cable and satellite channels in the ’80s and ’90s prompted fears that fragmentation would undermine quality.
“In reality, more competition meant more appetite for risk, and more space for new voices,” he said, citing “The Sopranos,” “The Wire” and “Breaking Bad.”
YouTube talent have also been poached by TV producers who see that the platform is “effectively a database of up-and-coming talent.” He cited Nella Rose and Amelia Dimoldenberg becoming primetime TV fixtures, George Clarke appearing on “Strictly Come Dancing“ and Angry Ginge winning “I’m a Celebrity,“ alongside filmmakers who began their careers on YouTube.
He said 75% of U.K. creators who say they have a career in media and entertainment began that career on YouTube.
Pina also said YouTube supports more than 45,000 full-time-equivalent jobs in the U.K., and contributes more than £2.2 billion ($2.9 billion) to the U.K. GDP.
While the platform has been called out for not commissioning content, Pina pointed the benefits of its revenue-sharing model. “YouTube shares, video-by-video, more than half of advertising revenue with creators,” he said.
He also cited collaborations with broadcasters, such as the BBC, whose “Gavin & Stacey” clip has accumulated millions of views across BBC Studios, BBC and BritBox YouTube channels.
As YouTube faces heightened scrutiny in Brussels, the lecture also had some lobbying purposes. Pina attacked proposals for “forced prominence” for public-service media on platforms such as YouTube, warning that such measures could disadvantage independent creators and production companies. He said audiences already move between broadcast, streaming and online video organically.
For Pina, the greater danger is an industry becoming too defensive to adapt. “A story is unfolding before our eyes. It is not a tragedy,” he said. “YouTube is not the villain… This next chapter of British television will not be a tragedy. It will be an epic.”
After its landmark 50th season, explored at length in a Variety cover story, “Survivor” is back for another round.
CBS kicked off a new phase of the popular competition series, titled “The Open Era,” with a livestream on Wednesday announcing 21 all-new castaways. They range in age from 24 to 49 and come from all over the U.S., plus Canada and even Ireland.
Among them are Devin Way, an actor whose credits include “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Queer as Folk”; Ana Sani, a voice actress who plays Strawberry Shortcake and also had an on-screen role in “The Boys”; former WWE star Brady Booker; and Yankees executive Mike Pinsky. The cast also includes a chef, a farmer, a medical student and more.
It’s a golden age for television about teens and twentysomethings right now, and there is no shortage of shows about the epic highs and lows of high school and early adulthood. Yet none of them have nailed believable dialogue, roommate dynamics and new job struggles the way “Not Suitable For Work” has.
The nine-episode Hulu series, which premiered in early June, follows two entry-level investment bankers, an aspiring thespian, a newsroom nepo-baby and a fashion stylist as they navigate entering the New York City workforce. With creator Mindy Kaling at the helm, surely this comedic and earnest portrayal of young adulthood would catch on the way her similar life-stage projects “Never Have I Ever” and “The Sex Lives of College Girls” did. So why is it already canceled?
Maybe it’s an oversaturation of shows like “Adults” and “I Love L.A.” and their general attempts to recreate the magic of a living-in-the-city show. Maybe people prefer the absurdities of the high-school-girl-in-a-love-triangle trope over something realistic. Whatever it is, we don’t have the answers, and it’s unlikely that we ever will.
Which brings us to the cliffhangers and unresolved questions from the first seaon of Kaling’s show. Here, we broke down the five biggest things we’ll likely never find out now that “Not Suitable for Work” is out of a job.
What will happen with the AJ-Davis-Josh love triangle?!
Season 1 ends with an unexpected kiss between AJ (Ella Hunt) and Davis (Will Angus), which was sure to bring about all kinds of awkward and fun situations, not the least of them being that Josh (Jack Martin) stumbles across the pair on his way to declare his own feelings for AJ. Any modern teen show is proof of the importance of a good love triangle, and as the cherry on top, AJ and Josh were already well on their way to the perfect enemies to lovers plotline in Season 2. But the truth is, no one actually wants to see AJ and Davis together. Yes, they make a great pair at work, but Davis deserves someone who will actually appreciate how clingy he is, and AJ is much too strong-willed to be tied down. Regardless, fans are dying to know who ends up with who (and now, may never know).
Will Abby and Kel get together?
Image Credit: Disney
And let’s not even start on the tension between Abby (Avantika) and Kel (Nicholas Duvernay), the latter of whom has been harboring a not-so-secret crush on the former since before the events of the pilot. Whether Abby is providing Kel sanctuary from his roommates or Kel is helping Abby carry her piles of designer clothes, the pair is always there for each other, in more ways than one. But even though the two became closer this season, with Abby even showing up at the afterparty for Kel’s show with what seemed like a dramatic love confession brewing, the finale ends without any closure for these two.
While the others in this ragtag band were finding their way in careers they were passionate about, Season 1 started off with Kel enrolled in medical school, a path he was following for his family. He quickly realizes he can’t hack it and drops out to pursue an acting career. To make money while he auditions, he calls up former love interest Kate (Ego Nwodim) to get him a gig as a substitute teacher. Kel’s students at this elite Manhattan girls’ school — Beth (Alice Jokela), Marina (Alyssa Marvin) and Sarah (Hampton Persaud) — stole every scene. The three already made their mark as key players through their smart quips and lessons that are oh so helpfully applicable to the Murray Hill Crew, and they attended Kel’s show in the finale. But Season 2 could have held so much more for them, even without their ill-prepared teacher.
Fisher Stassen, the investment bank employing new hire AJ, financial analyst Davis and their big bad boss Bill (Jay Ellis), rounded out its fourth fiscal quarter in disarray. Bill had officially called off his inappropriate relationship with AJ to resume dating his model girlfriend, and Davis, the loverboy that he is, was not very pleased when he found out. Not only did Davis — an aspiring man in finance — admire Bill’s career, but he also had budding feelings for his apprentice. After a fist-fight and verbal altercation, Davis is fired and will be leaving Fisher Stassen in 2026. But, we can’t help but wonder what 2027 would have looked like. Would AJ keep working under Bill? Would Bill keep his job? Where would Davis work next?
While the season finale sets the stage for new relationships, one question does have a little more clarity: This crew just might actually be suitable for work after all. Following a temporary fallout with her boss, Abby is re-employed and ready for redemption, leaving retail behind. Josh had a personal and professional breakthrough with his seemingly impenetrable superior. Kel proved himself as a successful actor and substitute teacher. And our bankers, well, we’ve already acknowledged that their workplace is up in the air, but their competency was never a question. Even if audiences are robbed of these characters’ light-hearted banter and addictive relationship drama, at least we know post-grad is not so bad. And if these guys are suitable for work, anyone is.
