Nerd News

Quick Take

• The Television Academy has signed a six-year deal to make Prime Video the exclusive home of the Emmy Awards.
• The first Emmys show will air on Prime Video in 2027, ending a 78-year run on broadcast television.
• Nerdist’s Take: This Emmys move to streaming isn’t surprising, but shifting to a paid streaming site means fewer people will get to watch TV’s biggest celebration, and that isn’t good.

In 2029, the Oscars is moving from network television to YouTube. It still sounds unbelievable that the biggest night in Hollywood, the premiere awards show, is heading to streaming. But that’s also why this latest Academy news isn’t surprising at all. The Emmys are also making the move from free TV to a paid subscription streaming service after signing a six-year deal with Prime Video.

Television Academy

The Television Academy is taking its signature awards show, which currently rotates across the four main networks, online. It signed a deal with Prime Video that will make the streamer the home of the Primetime Emmys. The deal (which we first heard about at The Hollywood Reporter) starts right away in 2027. Next year’s Emmys ceremony will be the first time the show will not air on broadcast television, but instead live on a streaming platform. It won’t return to a network until at least 2033, as Prime Video’s deal gives it the rights until 2032.

This partnership might get a lot bigger, too. Prime Video is still in discussions to possibly host the Creative Arts Emmys. It might also air the Television Academy’s other shows, including its Hall of Fame and Television Academy Honors ceremony.

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In a statement to THR, TV Academy chair Cris Abrego cited “continuity” as a big reason for making this streaming deal for the Emmys. “Rotating every year meant in many ways that we were starting over again with a new partner. That included everything from the creative, bringing on a new producer, to building partnerships with brands,” he said. “That was always one of the challenges with the wheel agreement.”

Nerdist’s Take: Is The Emmys Move to Prime Video & Streaming Good for TV?

While having one single TV partner makes a lot more sense than having four, this move still feels like a loss for TV. Just as the Oscars serve as both a celebration of and promotion for movies, the Emmys do the same for TV. But that celebration/promotion is moving from free television to a paid streamer. That means fewer people will get to celebrate. That’s not surprising news in the modern world of television, but it’s not good news, either.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow Mikey on Bluesky at @‌burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

The post Emmy Awards Head to Streaming on Prime Video appeared first on Nerdist.

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Quick Take

• Stephen King’s 1974 novel Carrie is undoubtedly the most influential and important piece of horror literature in modern times… and it almost didn’t exist.
• King was able to become a full-time writer and start his incredibly prolific career of stories that continue to resonate in pop culture today.
• There are countless shows, films, and creatives who were inspired by Stephen King and Carrie, and the genre would not be the same without their profound impact.

If you ask most horror literature fans and scholars to name the most influential book in the genre’s history, most would agree that it is Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. And that’s a very fair answer for many reasons, including its blending of Gothic horror elements with sci-fi. But, if you look at the modern era of horror novels from the last few decades, Stephen King’s 1974 novel Carrie takes the crown in that arena. Carrie’s influence in horror, both written and on screen, is undeniable and it birthed King’s prolific career that continues to inspire horror auteurs to this day. 

Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group/MGM

Prior to Carrie’s initial publication in April 1974, King was living in a rather modest life in Maine with his wife Tabitha and their two children. He was working as an English teacher at Hampden Academy; however, King’s heart was in creative writing. Several of his early short stories appeared in men’s magazines, like Cavalier, which was where he intended to submit a piece about an outcast girl with telekinesis. After writing just three pages, he threw his story in the trash but his wife found the pages and assured him that this was a story worth telling. And we all owe her much gratitude because we got the gift of Carrie.

It shifted horror literature’s predominate lens from ghosts, monsters, and other Gothic themes towards the real villains in most stories: human beings. And, notably during prom night, Carrie packed a feminist punch during the women’s liberation movement of the 1970s when women were fighting for equality in the workplace and autonomy over their lives and bodies. 

Until then, King had written novels but never published any of them. Carrie found solid commercial and critical success and put $200K in King’s pocket following a mass publishing deal. This gave King the boost he needed to pursue writing full-time, and laid the foundation for a litany of iconic stories like The Shining, The Stand, and more. And, just two years after its initial publication, Carrie was the first King novel to get an adaptation in the classic 1976 film starring Sissy Spacek. 

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During this era, horror films were stirring up controversy and finding success in theaters. The Exorcist (1973) almost single-handedly made the Ouija board a beacon of evil, while The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) delivered a gritty and frantic romp that laid the blueprint for the slasher subgenre. Carrie offered something unlike what horror fans had seen before, focusing on human cruelty, religious zealotry, trauma and isolation, and a protagonist who committed unthinkable acts yet still draws sympathy from viewers. 

Making over $33 million on a budget that was less than $2 million, Carrie proved that King’s stories could translate to box office gold. Since then, his work has been adapted many dozens of times over into shows and films that became beloved and iconic in their own right, from The Shawshank Redemption to The Long Walk. And, we are still seeing King’s works on our screens to this very day, with IT: Welcome to Derry and, of course, Mike Flanagan’s Carrie series.

Stephen King is undoubtedly still the King of Horror, and his throne is made from the Carrie novel. There are countless creatives, now legendary in their own right, whose works are influenced by King, like J.J. Abrams, Clive Barker, Jordan Peele, and Oz Perkins, to name a few. It is quite hard to imagine what the genre would’ve become without King’s influence as a prolific writer, which he was able to do at the fullest extent thanks to Carrie. 

In fact, the Carrie novel itself is quite influential, with three film adaptations, a musical, and Prime Video’s aforementioned show that will bring a reimagined version of this story to a new generation 50 years after the original film. It pushed horror literature into the mainstream, opening doors for other horror writers like R.L. Stine and James Smythe to find inspiration and commercial success. Several films take notes from Carrie’s storyline, including The Craft (1996), which features a witchy group of girls who take action against their peers, and Jennifer’s Body (2009), which focuses on a girl who gains supernatural abilities and uses them on abusers.

Locker room bullying drama is a part of many of horror and teen film and show, and the classic bloody prom scene has been heavily referenced across pop culture in The Simpsons and Heathers. Stranger Things’ beloved Eleven certainly shares some DNA with Carrie as a socially isolated kid with telekinetic powers who, by circumstances beyond her control, finds herself thrust into an environment where she’s socially inept. They both make some morally dubious choices (to put it lightly) in the name of self-preservation and vengeance, yet we don’t view them as villains in any way. And it is hard not to think about Carrie when you see final girlies like Sidney Prescott covered in blood.

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Carrie White felt exceptionally special to many horror fans who felt othered in some way, whether it was because of their sexuality, nerdiness, shyness, or lack of conventional attractiveness. (Honestly, the live-action Carries could be less pretty, but that’s another article…) Her pain and vulnerability sadly spoke to the lived experience of many school aged kids across America.

Stephen King’s Carrie novel has threaded its way into pop culture history in immeasurable ways. And, over five decades later, there’s no signs that Carrie White will fade away any time soon. Long live our powerful queen who simply wanted to be treated with kindness.

This post has affiliate links, which means we may earn advertising money if you buy something. This doesn’t cost you anything extra, we just have to give you the heads up for legal reasons. Click away!

Tai Gooden is the Features Editor for Nerdist, a fictional villain apologist, and a horror aficionado who is forever waiting for her trip in the TARDIS.

The post Stephen King’s CARRIE Is the Most Influential Modern Horror Novel appeared first on Nerdist.

Quick Take

• Paramount Skydance Chairman and CEO David Ellison formally closed his mega $110-billion purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery.
• The two iconic companies have now merged under the singular Skydance banner.
• The one thing everyone, both fans and detractors of the merger, can agree on is that David Ellison is right to call this an “historic day” for the industry.

It’s done. And Hollywood will never be the same. Today Paramount Skydance Chairman and CEO David Ellison formally closed his mega $110-billion dollar purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery. The two iconic companies will now operate under the singular Skydance banner.

Skydance

More than a year and a half after Netflix believed it had a deal in place to purchase Warner Bros. Discovery, the company now belongs to Paramount Skydance. Following 12 Attorneys Generals’ surprise deal to let the merger go through and a judge dismissing the last standing challenge, David Ellison now controls two of the biggest studios in the world. In a statement, he shared his thoughts on the closing of the mega-deal and what it means.

Today is a historic day, not just for Skydance but for our entire industry. From the start, our ambition was to bring these two storied studios together and create a stronger competitor, with the talent, resources, and reach to tell great stories in every genre, on every platform, for audiences everywhere. Now that ambition is a reality. We’re grateful to everyone who made this possible – the employees, creative talent, and production teams of both companies, who worked tirelessly to get us here and inspire audiences around the world every day, as well as the advisors and partners who guided this transaction to completion. Our focus now turns to the future: building a company that empowers creatives, entertains audiences and rewards shareholders. We couldn’t be more excited to get to work.

The Mega-Deal Between Paramount and Warner Bros. Is Be Done, But Skydance’s Impact on Hollywood Is Only Beginning

No question this is a “historic day” for Hollywood. As for the rest of what he said about the closing of this Paramount and Warner Bros. merger, that is all very much up in the air. What seems certain is that a lot of people are going to lose their jobs because of the merger. In the press release announcing the closing of the deal, Skydance mentioned it is “targeting at least $6 billion in run-rate synergies within three years.” That might make traders on the New York Stock Exchange happy, as Skydance began selling there today. But for many in the industry, it’s going to upend their lives.

Today is a new day for @Skydance, and I'm incredibly grateful to everyone who helped get us here. It's a big day, and we're just getting started. Let's go! https://t.co/89jxDrzVGU pic.twitter.com/e6P28HkRto

— David Ellison (@davidellison) October 6, 2026

It’s also hard to take the mention of competition seriously, as Skydance itself noted the company’s many (some might say “monopolistic-level”) assets. It has “two major film studios, two global streaming services, premier television assets including CBS, HBO, and Paramount’s and Warner Bros’ cable networks, two of the industry’s most recognized news networks, CBS News and CNN, and a leading content portfolio that includes live sports, a deep programming library and expansive collection of iconic brands and franchises.”

While Skydance also says it will abide by its deals with AGs and produce “30 high-quality theatrical films per year and 180+ television shows and series” in exchange for this merger of Paramount and Warner Bros., that won’t mean anything until/unless that actually happens. (And we’ll see if the company even can, considering the astronomical purchase price.)

The Paramount and Warner Bros. deal might be done, but what this all truly means for Hollywood is just starting.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow Mikey on Bluesky at @‌burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

The post Paramount Takes Over Warner Bros, Skydance Closes Mega Deal appeared first on Nerdist.

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Quick Take

• The Avatar: The Last Airbender x Reebok collection is here. It contains four different shoes honoring Aang and the world of Avatar.
• The Rebook x Avatar collection reveals shoes inspired by Appa, the Four Nations, Avatar Aang, and the Avatar State.
• Each shoes has a plethora of Easter eggs and hidden details honoring Avatar: The Last Airbender.
• Nerdist Take: Avatar: The Last Airbender definetly deserves its own Rebook line, but where is the Zuko shoe?

It’s time to step into the Avatar State, literally. Reebok is back with a brand new line of fandom-inspired sneakers… We absolutely adored Reebok’s One Piece line (and even put on a pair of the shoes ourselves). This time, Reebok is back with an Avatar: The Last Airbender collaboration that honors Aang and the world of Avatar through footwear. As with the last collection, each Reebok features a ton of Avatar: The Last Airbender Easter eggs and details that will have fans ecstatic to slip on a pair. For now, Reebok has released four different shoes in its Avatar: The Last Airbender collection, and we have your deep dive into each one. Let’s check ’em out.

Rebook Reebok Release Four Avatar: The Last Airbender Sneakers in New Collection

A release shares, “The all-new Reebok x Avatar: The Last Airbender collection honors the groundbreaking series through four premium footwear styles that blend elevated craftsmanship with storytelling details inspired by the beloved franchise.” And here’s what you can expect from each shoe.

The Reebok x Avatar: The Last Airbender collection includes:

• Club C 85 ($110.00 MSRP): Inspired by Appa, Avatar Aang’s loyal sky bison and lifelong companion. Features a hairy suede upper, Appa-inspired arrow detailing across the vamp, embroidered elemental symbol on the heel tab, plush fluffy lining reminiscent of Appa’s fur, and an EVA midsole. Available in unisex sizing.
• Classic Nylon ($110.00 MSRP): A tribute to the Four Nations and the four elements: Air, Water, Earth, and Fire. Designed with knit canvas-inspired underlays, hairy suede overlays, cracked leather accents, a custom window box component representing each element, and interchangeable hook-and-loop tongue patches featuring elemental symbols. Available in unisex sizing.
• Insta Pump Fury 94 ($220.00 MSRP): Inspired by Avatar Aang himself, this premium silhouette features mesh underlays, stretch canvas overlays, hairy suede accents, suede mesh lining, and a glowing reflective arrow graphic across the vamp that nods to Aang’s iconic tattoos. Available in unisex sizing.
• Engine A 26 ($140.00 MSRP): Inspired by Aang’s powerful Avatar State, this performance-inspired silhouette features suede underlays with printed and debossed detailing, glow-in-the-dark elements, an EVA midsole, and Reebok’s ERS cushioning technology. Available in unisex sizing.

Now, just to make sure there are no misunderstandings, the Appa Rebook shoe isn’t made out of Appa. It simply honors Appa and may have borrowed a tiny bit of his fur. But we’re sure Rebook asked permission! Don’t worry about it.

When Will the Avatar: The Last Airbender Rebooks Release?

The Avatar: The Last Airbender x Rebook collection launches globally on October 7, 2026, at 10 a.m. ET. The shoes will go live on Reebok.com. So set your alarm clocks and don’t sleep in and miss everything like Sokka!

How Much Will the Avatar Rebooks Cost?

As mentioned, the four shoes in the Avatar: The Last Airbender Rebook collection will cost between $110.00–$220.00. You can check out their specific pricing above.

Nerdist Take: Avatar: The Last Airbender Deserves Its Own Rebook Collection (But Where Is the Zuko Shoe)

If there was ever a franchise that deserved to be honored in every way, it’s Avatar: The Last Airbender. ATLA is one of the best TV series ever made and one of the best stories ever told on our screens. We’re glad to see these Avatar Rebooks come to life.

As Carmen Hardaway, Global Director of Reebok Classics Footwear and Energy Collaborations, shares, “Avatar: The Last Airbender has become much more than an animated series, it’s a cultural touchstone that continues to inspire fans around the world. This collaboration was designed for the fans who grew up with the series and continue to celebrate it today. By pairing Reebok’s heritage silhouettes with storytelling aspects inspired by Aang, Appa, and the Four Nations, we created a collection that honors the craftsmanship, emotion, and legacy that have made Avatar such an enduring phenomenon.”

With that said, we’d like to raise a request for a Zuko shoe in the next Rebook Avatar collection. It won’t be a complete collection without him.

Rotem Rusak is the Editor-in-Chief at Nerdist. She is a great lover of the anti-hero and is always ready for a new ship to set sail. In her work, she likes to combine fandom passion with journalistic sensibilities. Follow her on Instagram.

The post Reebok x AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER Collection Is Here appeared first on Nerdist.

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Quick Take

• Lanterns co-creator Damon Lindelof admitted he won’t be a part of season 2, but a writers’ room has already formed and is formulating ideas.
• Lindelof confirms there was never any plan to resurrect Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) in season one, but acknowledges Hal’s many deaths and resurrections in the pages of DC Comics.
• Nerdist’s take: Even if it’s just as Hal’s “Halogram” form, we think the next season of Lanterns needs to include Kyle Chandler in some form. Otherwise, the name Lanterns is pointless.

Lanterns just dropped its season one finale, and we believe it largely stuck the landing. The series, which was a grounded take on the Green Lantern comics mythology, won over critics and audiences alike. In fact, the series has averaged around 19 million viewers per episode, which is huge. Now, series co-creator Damon Lindelof, known for Watchmen, The Leftovers, and Lost, has revealed to Collider (via IGN) that there are “writers who are working on ideating on Season 2.” It seems, however, that neither Lindelof nor Tom King will have any involvement with a potential season 2.

I can only tell you that everybody in the Season 1 room, inclusive of the writers who are working on ideating on Season 2, felt like even though we knew that it was going to be emotionally devastating and/or disappointing and maybe even frustrating, that the worst possible schmuck-baity thing that we could do is show you a pilot where Hal Jordan was definitively dead, and then try to walk it back and say, ‘Oh, he was a clone’ or ‘He’s only mostly dead’ in the Princess Bride vernacular.

HBO Max/DC Studios

Having said all that, Lindelof is keenly aware that in the comics, Hal Jordan has been dead before. Lindelof said, “I do not know anything about the creative (for season 2). And I wouldn’t want to hamstring those writers in any way for what future storytelling mechanisms they could indulge in. Knowing what the comics have done with Parallax — and Hal, I think, has died at least three or four times over the course of the canon, and celebrating everything that Kyle did in his performance to get the audience to fall in love with Hal.”

Nerdist’s Take: Even if Hal Jordan Remains Dead, Lanterns Season 2 Needs to Figure Out How to Utilize Kyle Chandler

Even if Hal is DEAD dead, we think Kyle Chandler is such a huge part of the appeal for the series, it would be criminal not to utilize him somehow. We definitely think there’s a way to bring the Halogram back, despite whatever Sinestro said in the season one finale. And, after all, this show is called Lanterns, plural. Unless this is about to be a John Stewart/Guy Gardner team-up show, Hal will need to be a part of it. Or they may introduce another Green Lantern to co-star with Aaron Pierre. We’ll have to wait and see, but we certainly hope HBO Max doesn’t drag its feet in greenlighting season 2. What deserves a greenlight more than the show about dudes whose power is green light? Come on, HBO, it’s a sign.

Eric Diaz is a staff writer at Nerdist and a Swiss Army knife of fandoms. Eric loves DC, Marvel, horror movies, and even Star Wars and Star Trek equally.

The post LANTERNS Season 2 Is Already Being Written, Says Co-Creator appeared first on Nerdist.

The company is deliberately limiting production after years of struggling to find mass-market demand for its EVs.

Quick Take

• Prime Video has revealed the first images for its upcoming show Bloodaxe.
• The series co-creater Michael Hirst was also behind Vikings, but Bloodaxe is not a spinoff of that franchise.
• This gorgeous batch of images promises a vikings show with everything we could want: incredible costumes and production and warriors in search of bloody glory.

We want the same thing from every TV show. We want good writing, good acting, good production, and a good story. But when it comes to shows about vikings we have a few more demands. We want/need to see crazed warriors waging war with magnificent weapons in a quest for glory. And based on the first batch of photos from Prime Video‘s upcoming series Bloodaxe that’s exactly what we’re going to get from this epic tale.

Click To View Gallery Prime Video Prime Video Prime Video Prime Video Prime Video

Prime Video has released the first ten stills from Bloodaxe, the new series from showrunners and writers Michael and Horatio Hirst. Michael Hirst was also behind Vikings, but this new series is not a spinoff or related in anyway to his previous one. This is a new tale of Norse heroes. But what exactly do these images portend? (Besides that the show will look incredible?) What do these gorgeously clad attractive people want? Here’s the official synopsis from Amazon:

In Season One, Bloodaxe chronicles the rise of one of history’s most famous Norse raiders, Erik Bloodaxe (Xavier Molyneux), and his formidable wife Gunnhild, Mother of Kings (Jessica Madsen). As they fight for the throne of Norway, the land is torn apart by fierce rivals, shifting loyalties, and bloody betrayals. With war looming and chaos consuming the kingdom, drawing in the ruthless Kings of other Scandinavian countries, and even a powerful English ruler, the stage is set for a thundering, cataclysmic, compelling and utterly magical new Norse Saga.

Click To View Gallery Prime Video Prime Video Prime Video

The series also stars Karlis Arnolds Avots, Levi Miller, Rod Hallett, Alina Tomnikov, Sisse Marie, Rune Temte, and Jesper Christensen. Season one will feature eight episodes, but we know we are guaranteed to get more. Prime Video has already ordered a second season, which is the best sign possible that Bloodaxe will truly deliver everything we want from a TV show about vikings.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow Mikey on Bluesky at @‌burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

The post New Prime Video Series BLOODAXE Shares First Images appeared first on Nerdist.