What's news: Netflix, Amazon and YouTube have established a new public policy group to represent streamers. Apple has renewed Slow Horses. Netflix and Sega have revealed a slate of three video game adaptations. Macklemore has been dropped from Ed Sheeran‘s tour. And Welsh national treasure Matthew Rhys made Emmys history! — Abid Rahman
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Primetime Emmy Awards 2026 |
►๐ Congratulations! ๐ The 2026 Emmy Awards were handed out Monday night. Widow’s Bay was named best comedy series (setting a record), The Pitt won best drama series, and DTF St. Louis was named best limited or anthology series. The Late Show With Stephen Colbert won best variety series, and The Traitors was named best reality competition program. Among the acting winners are Jean Smart, Kate O’Flynn, Matthew Rhys (twice! which marks a record), Allison Janney, Rhea Seehorn, Noah Wyle, Stephen Root, Tom Pelphrey and Sally Field. The winners.
—Snubs, shutouts and surprises. Hacks went into the 2026 Emmys with a record 24 nominations for its fifth and final season, the most for any comedy series in a single year for its final season. But the HBO Max hit came up short with this year’s awards and took home only two prizes. Other comedic series that underperformed at the Emmys were onetime juggernaut The Bear. A number of awards experts thought 16-time nominee Beef could snag the limited series and actor in a limited series categories, but it came up empty-handed in all of the major categories. The snubs.
—The new HBO. Apple TV had its best ever showing at the Emmys on Monday, topping its previous high mark … from a year ago. For the first time since it launched in 2019, Apple TV led all outlets at the Emmys with 28 awards (Apple, the parent company, also won for best commercial). A record-setting haul for first-year comedy Widow’s Bay accounted for half of the streamer’s total. The horror-comedy won 14 total awards, breaking the prior record of 13 for a comedy — also set last year by another Apple series, The Studio. HBO Max and Netflix fell to second and third place. The studio scorecard.
—"Rarely, if ever, has a show come out of nowhere so late in the season and then dominated to this extent." The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards is now in the books, bringing an end to the 2025-2026 TV awards season. Now it’s time to try to figure out why we wound up with the results that we did. THR's executive editor of awards coverage dissects Monday night's results including the Widow's Bay sweep, the Sally Field surprise and the weird variety series situation. The analysis.
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Review: An Ungainly, Ill-Flowing Emmys Telecast
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►"The show simply got away from the producers." In his review of the 78th Emmys telecast, THR's chief TV critic Daniel Fienberg writes that producers stuffed the first half of the night with awards and attempted to fill the second half with emotional moments, resulting in a strange lopsided effect. The review.
—"Zip it, movie lady! It’s TV’s turn tonight." At the Emmys, host Mariska Hargitay opened the monologue with a pre-recorded sketch that showed the actress steaming her ball gown next to Knicks star Jalen Brunson. She then spoofed Nicole Kidman’s beloved AMC Theatres ad. Elsewhere, Hargitay joked about SVU series creator Dick Wolf: "Over the years, there have been a lot of jokes about his name, which is so unfair because Dick Wolf isn’t even his real name. His real name is Richard Penis." The monologue.
—Buffy the joke slayer. The 2026 Emmy Awards had the audience and viewers laughing, crying and cheering during several memorable moments throughout the telecast. From Taylor Swift’s surprise cameo with host Mariska Hargitay and Marcello Hernรกndez’s special invites for Zendaya and Harrison Ford to Noah Kahan’s emotional performance during the In Memoriam and Sarah Michelle Gellar shading Hulu, below are some of the most memorable moments from TV’s biggest night. The moments.
—Omitted. The In Memoriam segment of the 2026 Emmys telecast featured lengthy tributes to icons Rob Reiner, Dolly Parton and Catherine O’Hara. But also omitted some significant television performers who have died over the past year. Perhaps the most notable omission was Walker, Texas Ranger star Chuck Norris. Also missing Buffy the Vampire Slayer star Nicholas Brendon, whose omission was all the more notable as the segment did recognize his Buffy co-star Anthony Head. Daveigh Chase, who tragically died in June at 35, was another notable omission as was Patrick Muldoon and voice actors Peter Cullen and Tom Kane. The story.
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๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟ Matthew Rhys Makes Emmy History ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟ |
►๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟ They'll be dancing on the streets of Cardiff this morning! ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟ When Matthew Rhys accepted his second Emmy of the night, for best actor in a comedy series for Widow’s Bay, he made history. The Welsh actor, who earlier on the night won best actor in a limited series for The Beast In Me, is now the first performer in history to have won the lead acting Emmy across all three genres, since he won on the drama side back in 2018 for The Americans, and the first man to win two lead-acting trophies in a single night. The story.
—Five out of five. Jean Smart's win for best actress in a comedy series and made history in the process, becoming the first female performer ever to win TV’s highest honor for every season of a series. Smart has now taken home the trophy for all five seasons of Hacks, which wrapped its run this past spring. She has also tied for the all-time record of Emmy wins by an actress, with eight. The story.
—"It’s so hard to tell what’s real and what we can believe anymore, which makes telling honest stories about real human struggles more important than ever." The Pitt capped a fairly wide-open night at the the 2026 Emmys (non-comedy divisions) by winning best drama series. Accepting the award, The Pitt co-creator and showrunner R. Scott Gemmill issued a plea for his fellow nominees and the rest of the TV industry to keep “shin[ing] a light” on important stories. The story.
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The Best Dressed Stars at the 78th Emmys
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An "Interview" With Tilly Norwood
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►"You’re asking me to break character now, are you? That’s rather cheeky." The creators of the notorious AI-generated "performer" Tilly Norwood set up a press junket with journalists on Monday. THR's Lily Ford took one for the team and took part, writing that the whole event "felt cringeworthy, rehearsed and clunky." The interview.
—"Stand up and resist." THR's Steven Zeitchik reports that a polite but outraged crowd greeted Alex Gibney’s epic four-hour Elon Musk documentary at the Toronto Film Festival Monday night, marking the film’s arrival in North America and offering a glimpse into how the investigative grenade might land in theaters when it’s released in October. Steven writes that the TIFF debut of Musk is part of an effort to change consciousness on the tech mogul. The recap.
—Strength in numbers. A new public policy group has been formed in Washington D.C., one that will represent the interests of streaming platforms. The Streaming Access and Choice Alliance (SACA) launched Monday, with Netflix, YouTube and Amazon as its founding members. TechNet, the tech public policy group, is leading the new venture, with Mike Ward, TechNet’s senior VP of federal policy and government relations also leading SACA. The story.
—On the chopping block? Comcast and Paramount Skydance are launching a “review of strategic options” for their European joint venture streaming service SkyShowtime. While no decisions have been made as of yet, shutting down the business is one of the options on the table. The board of the JV informed SkyShowtime CEO Monty Sarhan of the strategic review Monday in a letter, which was viewed by THR. The story.
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Macklemore Dropped From Ed Sheeran Tour |
►ICYMI. Macklemore has been dropped from Ed Sheeran‘s Loop Tour as the rapper drew controversy for his pro-Palestine speeches during his opening performances, with Sheeran’s promoter stating Monday that venues set to host the tour threatened to pull out if Macklemore was on the bill. The story.
—"I am not a victim." Macklemore shared a lengthy statement later on Monday regarding his removal from Ed Sheeran‘s Loop Tour. "Ed Sheeran is not a victim. Pink is not a victim. We have careers, money, opportunities, safety and audiences around the world. Whatever consequences any of us face for what we say, we get to go home to our families. The victims are the Palestinian people," wrote the rapper on Instagram. The story.
—The latest. The chief of staff of the IDF has ordered a legal review of the documentary NAZA to assess the possibility of legal action against its filmmakers and those involved with it. Calling the film “an attack on the State of Israel,” IDF chief Eyal Zamir claimed NAZA defamed the military, though he acknowledged he has not seen the movie in full. He separately ordered an investigation into the leaking of classified material used in its production. The story.
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Netflix, Sega Reveal Slate of Video Game Adaptations
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►Game theory. Netflix is expanding its video game adaptation slate with Sega. The streamer is at work on a feature film treatment for the 1999 arcade game Crazy Taxi to be written by Dan Gregor and Doug Mand. Netflix and Sega are also adapting the Sonic game as a new animated series in development with Carlos Stevens and Nakahara, and the Stranger Than Heaven game from RGG Studio and set in early 20th-century Japan to become a live action film. The story.
—๐ ะฃัะฟะตั
! ๐ Bulgaria has selected Valeska Grisebach‘s The Dreamed Adventure as its official entry in the best international feature category for the 99th Academy Awards. The slow-burning thriller follows a follows a pair of old friends who reunite decades later in the crime-ridden Bulgarian border town they left years ago. The Dreamed Adventure premiered in competition in Cannes this year, where it won the Jury Prize. The story.
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Dated! ๐
Paramount has set director Harry Bradbeer’s feature adaptation of One Italian Summer for theatrical release on May 12, 2028, just in time for Mother’s Day weekend. Brie Larson executive produces and stars in the feature adaptation of author Rebecca Serle’s bestselling novel that first published in 2022. The story.
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Apple Renews 'Slow Horses' for S8
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►Galloping ponies. Spies tend to have a short life expectancy, but the Slow Horses look set to outlast the odds. While there are no promises that the whole team will make it, Apple TV has announced a season eight renewal for its quirky espionage drama, which took home one Emmy — Saul Metzstein’s best directing for a drama series — from nine nominations Monday night. Season six of Slow Horses premieres Sept. 16 on Apple and adapts both of Mick Herron’s fifth and sixth novels, Joe Country and Slough House. The previously announced season seven will follow the events of Bad Actors; its release date has not been announced. The story.
—๐ญ Filling out. ๐ญ HBO and the BBC’s Industry is further beefing up its cast for the show’s fifth and final season. Ben Platt and Russell Tovey have joined the ensemble for season five, which is in production in the U.K. Both actors will have guest roles in the season, joining a host of other new faces. Other previously announced new additions to Industry’s cast for season five are Cary Elwes, Sam Riley, Jessica Brown Findlay, Luke Manley and Eduard Poliakov. The story.
—๐ญ Four more. ๐ญ Malin Akerman, Nadine Bhabha, Megan Follows and Matias Lucas have joined Netflix‘s adaptation of This Summer Will Be Different. The 10-episode series, based on Carley Fortune’s popular romance novel of the same name, stars Sophie Nรฉlisse as lead Lucy Ashby. Francesca Reale and Roby Attal also star as Bridget Clark, Lucy’s best friend, and Felix Clark, Bridget’s brother and Lucy’s love interest. The story.
—Woof! FX‘s Adults is riding strong reviews and word of mouth into audience growth in its second season. The hangout comedy from creators Ben Kronengold and Rebecca Shaw, which premiered Aug. 27, has posted substantial gains on Hulu and Disney+. In the 12 days since the eight-episode season debuted on the streamer, streaming viewing is up 40 percent compared to the same period for season one in May and June 2025. The ratings.
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Film Review: 'Prima Facie'
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►"A well-intentioned mess." For THR, Caryn James reviews Susanna White's Prima Facie. Cynthia Erivo tackles the role originated by Jodie Comer on the West End and Broadway in the film version of Suzie Miller's award-winning play. Also starring Daniel Ings, Toheeb Jimoh and Noma Dumezwemi. Written by Suzie Miller. The review.
—"An engaging riff on an author and her most famous creation." Caryn reviews Anton Corbijn's A Talent for Murder. Helen Mirren plays The Talented Mr. Ripley author Patricia Highsmith in this fictional thriller about her final years in Switzerland. Also starring Alden Ehrenreich, Olivia Cooke and Juliet Stevenson. Written by Joanna Murray-Smith. The review.
—"A story of hardscrabble living we’ve seen a dozen times before." For THR, Richard Lawson reviews Kim Bartley's Lemonade. The TIFF-bowing film revolves around an Irish teenager navigating a multitude of problems all at once. Starring Lewis Brophy, Barry Keoghan, Carla Tous and Eileen Walsh. Written by Kim Bartley. The review.
—"An uneven charmer with a dazzling lead." THR's Sheri Linden reviews Scarlett Bermingham and Andrew Rhymer's All That She Wants. In TIFF-bowing comedy, Schitt’s Creek star Annie Murphy plays a 30-something who’s ready for motherhood, if not a relationship. Also starring Cooper Raiff, Zosia Mamet, Christine Baranski, John Gemberling, Finn Wittrock and Bill Irwin. Written by David West Read. The review.
—"A genuine crowd-tickler." For THR, Michael Rechtshaffen reviews Lauren Miller Rogen's Babies. Seth Rogen and Anna Kendrick play a longtime couple reconsidering their choice to remain childless in this film directed by Rogen's real-life wife. Also starring Issa Rae, Dan Stevens, Kate Berlant, Zach Cherry, Ed Helms, Ashley Park, Sharon Stone and David Strathairn. Written by Lauren Miller Rogen. The review.
—"Small canvas, big misfire." Michael reviews Zack Snyder's The Last Photograph. The DC filmmaker's passion project stars Stuart Martin as an ex-DEA operative who ventures into the mountains of South America to track down the abducted children of his murdered brother and sister-in-law. Also starring Fra Fee, Constanza Andrade, Marlon Moreno, Quique Mendoza, Gustavo Angarita, Ed Hughes, Pedro Calvo-Anca, Mia Calvo, Jackie Kay and Jose Restropo. Written by Kurt Johnstadt. The review.
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Film Review: 'I Play Rocky' |
►"A big-hearted movie about moviemaking, if not an artful one." THR's chief film critic David Rooney reviews Peter Farrelly's I Play Rocky. Anthony Ippolito plays an endearing pre-stardom Sylvester Stallone in this drama about the making of Oscar best picture winner Rocky. Also starring AnnaSophia Robb, Toby Kebbell, P.J. Byrne, Jay Duplass, Matt Dillon, Stephan James, Tracy Letts, Kiki Seto, Erik Palladino and Robert Morgan. Written by Peter Gamble. The review.
—"Hard pass, thanks." David reviews Jonathan Schey's Everybody Wants to F*ck Me. Schey’s first feature is a comedy that morphs into horror about a womanizer whose pick-up strategy is posing as a softboi. Starring Taron Egerton, Jessica Henwick, Charly Clive, Herbert Nordrum and Mia McKenna-Bruce. Written by Jonathan Schey. The review.
—"Worthy of its star's vast talent." For THR, Jourdain Searles reviews Bassam Tariq's Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother. Two-time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali plays a devout Muslim and contract killer forced to care for his three kids after his wife dies in this Texas-set thriller. Also starring Giancarlo Esposito, John Cho, Tramell Tillman, Abubakr Ali, Laith Nakli, Tiffany Boone, Adia, Jahleel Kamara, John Henry Ward and Shakirah DeMesier. Written by Bassam Tariq. The review.
—"Pretty but empty." Jourdain reviews Rachel Morrison's Love of Your Life. Margaret Qualley stars alongside Patrick Schwarzenegger, Aaron Pierre and Gabriel Basso in the romantic drama premiering in Toronto. Also starring Catherine Keener. Written by Julia Cox. The review.
—"As usual, a drolly amusing delight." THR's Frank Scheck reviews Steve Cox and Matthew Walker's Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom. The farmer becomes a Bigfoot-like creature roaming the countryside in this new big-screen installment of the hit Aardman Animations stop-motion franchise. Featuring the voices of Justin Fletcher, John Sparkes, Kate Harbour, Dani Dyer, Roman Kemp, Nina Sosanya and Paul Whitehouse. Written by Mark Burton and Giles Pilbrow. The review.
In other news...
—The Shards releasing soundtrack with star Hayes Warner, Troye Sivan
—The 37 top L.A. real estate brokers of 2026
—Oasis sets 2027 stadium tour
—Onslaught producer Ryder Picture Company rebranded as Embrace
What else we're reading...
—Zach Baron's managed to get a rare in-depth interview with Tom Cruise, where he talks Digger and more [GQ]
—Despite the recent AI doomer headlines, Parmy Olson writes that Anthropic's $2t IPO is still on, and so is the AI race [Bloomberg]
—Alisha Haridasani Gupta digs into whether the new Sydney Sweeney Novig campaign was designed to provoke [NYT]
—With Burning Man celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, Lois Beckett writes that the once anarchic desert festival faces a midlife crisis [Guardian]
—Harry Sekulich looks back at the late Bob Mackie's most famous bedazzled designs [BBC]
Today...
...in 2017, Lionsgate released Michael Cuesta's American Assassin in theaters. The terrorism action thriller starred Dylan O'Brien and Michael Keaton, and was a moderate box office despite being panned by critics. The original review.
Today's birthdays...
Tom Hardy (49), Tommy Lee Jones (80), Oliver Stone (80), Fernanda Torres (61), Ben Schwartz (45), Josh Charles (55), Megan Stalter (36), Rebecca Miller (64), Barry Shabaka Henley (72), Ed Solomon (66), Ron Shelton (81), Pawel Pawlikowski (69), Lee Chae-Min (26), Dave Annable (47), Gwyneth Keyworth (๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟ36), John Bradley (38), Gia Sandhu (35), Danny Nucci (58), Marisa Ramirez (49), Tamera Kissen (32), Amy Davidson (47), Jake Cherry (30), Chelsea Kane (38), Mitchell Slaggert (32), Caterina Murino (49), Colleen O'Shaughnessey (55), Elisabeth Dermot Walsh (52), Tom Austen (39), Ingrid Bisu (39), Lauren Compton (39), Jimmy Carr (54), Emma Fuhrmann (25), Colin McFarlane (65), Wilbur Fitzgerald (78), Matt Shively (36)
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Bob Mackie, the nine-time Emmy-winning costume designer known as the “Sultan of Sequins” for the spectacular, over-the-top outfits he created for the likes of Cher, Diana Ross, Mitzi Gaynor and Carol Burnett, died Monday. He was 87. The obituary.
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