'X-Men ‘97' Nominated For Outstanding Animated Program Emmy, Leads Marvel In Lighter Year For 'Star Wars'
To Emmys, my X-Men, Jedi and Gods, in this more Hulu-dominating year
It was a great day for FX Wednesday, on both its linear and Hulu fronts, as the nominations for the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards were announced. Former limited series Shōgun did bangers competing in the major drama categories, earning 25 nominations in total, and The Bear earning 23 more of its own for its second season. But frankly I’m a little too niche and genre to simply want to regurgitate the entire list of nominees. After last year, where I missed covering Marvel, but did do Star Wars’s 22 total nominations and the eight for Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, I was most intrigued by how X-Men ‘97 would fare as it was clear it was headed toward the Primetime Emmys rather than Children & Family Emmys. So it’s going to lead the way on a cover on both Marvel and Star Wars, rather impacted by the slowdowns and wider spread of releases from both franchises, as well as the dual strikes. Each had only five nominations this year. While X-Men ‘97 was expected for more, it did at least achieve one nomination: Outstanding Animated Program.
It is quite a drop though. Marvel had 28 noms in 2021 spurred by WandaVision’s 23 while 2022 brought 19 nominations across Moon Knight, Loki, What If…? and Hawkeye. Because so much 11-minute programming was lost to the Children & Family Emmys, the Short Form Animated Program category was eliminated and this leaves the main category, previously designated by Half Hour Or Longer, as the only one of the show recognizing animated programming. Anyone who watched X-Men ‘97 this spring can probably guess the submitted episode that clinched them the nomination: episode 5, “Remember It”. The nominated talent includes writer and executive producer Beau DeMayo, director Emi Yonemura executive producers Victoria Alonso, Louis D’Esposito, Kevin Feige, Brad Winderbaum, co-executive producer Dana Vasquez-Eberhardt, supervising producers Jake Castorena and Charley Feldman, prodicers Danielle Costa and Sean Gantka, voice director Meredith Layne, and animation directors Sang Hyouk Bang and Yun Mo Sung.
Its competition includes Netflix’s Blue Eye Samurai episode "The Tale Of The Ronin And The Bride", the Bob’s Burgers episode “The Amazing Rudy”, The Simpsons episode “Night of the Living Wage”, and the canceled Max series Scavengers Reign which is getting broader exposure on Netflix, possibly enough for a second life. Its nominated episode is “The Signal”. Loki, Echo, and Ahsoka are all nominated for Outstanding Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes. Loki’s “1893” had its costumes designed by Christine Wada, with assistant costume designers Kristen Ernst-Brown and Harriet Kendall, and costume supervisor Tom Hornsby. Echo’s “Lowak” had its costumes designed by Ambre Wrigley with assistant costume designers Garnet Filo, Kizzie Martin Lillas, and Kristina Elaine Taylor and supervisor Amanda Steeley. Ahsoka’s "Part Eight: The Jedi, The Witch, And The Warlord", had Shawna Trpcic as costume designer, Elissa Alcala as assistant costume designer and Devon Patterson as costume supervisor. They compete against “The End” from Fallout, which had 16 total nominations including in the major show and acting categories, and What We Do In The Shadows “Pride Parade”.
In fact, Ahsoka accounts for all five Star Wars nominations. “Part One: Master and Apprentice” is nominated for Outstanding Period Or Fantasy/Sci-Fi Hairstyling against episodes of Feud: Capote vs the Swans, Palm Royale, Shōgun and The Gilded Age. “Part Eight” is also up for Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup against Shōgun, Fallout, The Witcher, and True Detective: Night Country. Ahsoka and Loki will also be facing off in Outstanding Special Visual Effects In A Season against Fallout, Shōgun, and Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender. “Part Four: Fallen Jedi” competes for Outstanding Sound Editing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (Half-Hour) And Animation against Star Trek: Lower Decks’s “The Inner Fight” and episodes of The Bear, Only Murders in the Building and Blue Eye Samurai. Loki has the last Marvel nomination as well, where the series finale “Glorious Purpose” is nominated for Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (One Hour), against Shōgun, Fallout, 3 Body Problem, and The Crown.
The 76th Primetime Emmy Awards begin with the Creative Arts ceremony on September 7 and 8 while the main show will air on ABC this year on September 15.
Sources: Television Academy, Deadline