Kelsey Grammer’s return as Frasier, Emma Stone’s gripping turn in the genre-defying The Curse and the final season of Marvel series Loki were all among the surprise omissions from this year’s Emmy nominations.
The 2024 Emmy Awards, which are set to take place on Sunday, September 15, will see strong turnouts from FX’s historical drama Shogun, dramedy The Bear and Richard Gadd’s controversial Netflix hit, Baby Reindeer.
However, there was no place among the nominees for Grammer, who reprised his role as haughty psychiatrist Frasier Crane for the first time in almost 20 years last October.
Grammer has traditionally been something of an Emmys favorite: He was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor for playing the same character in the sitcom Cheers in 1988 and 1990. He was then nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor every year from 1994 to 2002, and again in 2004, for the original run of Frasier. He won four times (1994, 1995, 1998 and 2004), and picked up another Emmy in 2006 for his voiceover work as Sideshow Bob on The Simpsons.
Emma Stone, who is a two-time Oscar winner, was overlooked for her turn in the provocative cringe comedy The Curse. The series, which also starred co-creators Nathan Fielder and Benny Safdie, was startlingly original yet received zero nominations.
On social media, one viewer commented: “Emma and Nathan’s performance in the curse was above any award. They truly were exceptional no one can convince me otherwise …very much irritated by this snub.”
“Emma Stone and The Curse getting no nominations is such a miss from the Emmys,” added another. “One of the best shows of the year with THE performance of the year deserved better.”
Kelsey Grammer and Emma Stone, neither of whom were nominated at the 2024 Emmys (Getty)
Fans also lamented the Television Academy’s decision not to recognize Loki in any of the major series or acting categories after the Marvel show ended its run last year after two seasons. Star Tom Hiddleston was not nominated, although the series did pick up nominations for Outstanding Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes, Outstanding Sound Mixing and Outstanding Special Visual Effects.
On social media, one fan wrote: “Tom Hiddleston being snubbed for an Emmy nomination is just disappointing. This man puts his heart and soul into Loki and he deserves better. Tom, you’re still a winner in all of our hearts.”
Another added: “While I am so happy these three departments were recognised at the Emmys this year, I can’t believe these are the only nominations Loki s2 got when it improved upon s1 in every way imaginable.”
Other high-profile snubs included Boots Riley’s wildly inventive series I’m A Virgo, which received a rave five-star review from The Independent.
Joe and Anthony Russo, who helmed Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, are reportedly returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe to direct the next two Avengers films.
The Russos are in “early talks” to direct Avengers 5, previously titled The Kang Dynasty and set to be released in 2026, and Avengers: Secret Wars, to be released in 2027, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The two movies are meant to conclude the Multiverse Saga and are assumed by fans to be connected, the way Infinity War and Endgame were.
The first Avengers film released in 2012 and was followed by Avengers: Age of Ultron in 2015.
It was previously reported Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy was in the running to direct Avengers 5, but he turned it down.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings director Destin Daniel Cretton was also reported to be directing the yet-to-be titled film but he stepped away in November 2023 to focus on Shang-Chi 2.
Shortly after, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania writer Jeff Loveness, who was said to be working on the script for Avengers 5, was replaced by Loki writer Michael Waldron.
A still from Avengers: Infinity War (Disney/Marvel)
The news of the Russos involvement brings some clarity to the fate of Avengers 5, which was supposed to have Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror as the big bad. However, after Majors’ conviction in his domestic assault case, which led to Marvel Studios parting ways with him, the film is expected to go a different way.
The Russos have previously directed 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier, 2016’s Captain America: Civil War as well as the two Avengers films.
Avengers: Endgame remains the highest-grossing Marvel film and the second-highest in history, making about $2.79bn worldwide. Infinity War is the second-highest grossing Marvel film and the sixth-highest ever, raking in $2.05bn.
This makes the Russos the only directors other than James Cameron to have two $2bn films under their belt.
The Russos made their name in television, directing cult shows like Arrested Development, Community and Happy Endings before moving to Marvel.
After Endgame, they moved to streaming platforms, directing the Netflix action film The Gray Man, starring Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans, and Apple TV’s Cherry, starring Tom Holland.
Some of the cast and crew of ‘Avengers: Endgame’ attend the Global Junket Press Conference in 2019 (Getty)
Their production company AGBO produced Everything Everywhere All at Once, which won an Oscar, Prime Video’s Citadel and Netflix’s Extraction films.
Their next film is Netflix’s science fiction adventure The Electric State, starring Millie Bobby Brown, Ke Huy Quan and Chris Pratt, and scheduled to be released this year.
