Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety chief awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.
“Pluribus”
Primetime Emmys Predictions Commentary All Categories (Updated: March 26, 2026): There’s a whole lot of drama in this year’s Emmy race, and not just on screen.
Beyond leading contenders like the sophomore season of HBO Max’s “The Pitt” and the debut of Vince Gilligan’s sci-fi entry “Pluribus” on Apple TV, the field is increasingly defined by a surge in genre storytelling.
Netflix’s final season of “Stranger Things” was a marquee event of the fall and winter cycles, and with each previous season earning drama series bids, it would be hard to see this one falling short. The question remains whether it will bring additional attention — such as acting nods for Millie Bobby Brown and Jamie Campbell Bower — or serve primarily as the populist pick?
Franchise extensions such as “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” (from the “Game of Thrones” universe) and “IT: Welcome to Derry” (from Stephen King’s graphic novels) bring built-in worlds and devoted fan bases into the awards conversation. Even comic book fare like the final season of “The Boys” and the sophomore run of “Fallout” underscores how far the Television Academy has come in embracing genre as a legitimate dramatic force rather than a niche outlier.
At the same time, more traditional contenders haven’t disappeared; rather, they’re simply sharing space within this evolving landscape. Period drama “The Gilded Age” returns as a prior nominee looking to reestablish its footing, while HBO will also push for a long-overdue breakthrough for “Industry,” which has yet to land a series nomination despite vocal fans. Meanwhile, new hopefuls are entering the mix, including Netflix’s “The Boroughs” from the production company of The Duffer Brothers, and AMC’s “The Audacity,” which aims to recapture the network’s “Breaking Bad”-era prestige.
Paramount+ is also making a significant play with multiple entries from Taylor Sheridan, including the second season of “Landman” and the newcomer “The Madison,” starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Kurt Russell.
There are more series to be added, and lots of ups and downs to come as we head toward nominations in July.
The Emmy Awards timeline begins with nomination-round voting from June 11-22, with nominations announced on July 8. The final voting runs from Aug. 17-26, leading into the Creative Arts Awards and Governors Gala on Sept. 5–6, culminating with the Emmy Awards ceremony on Sept. 14 on NBC.
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