(Left) Actor Walton Goggins attends with ‘Fallout’ Cast and Creators at The Game Awards at Peacock Theater on December 07, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Anna Webber/Getty Images for Prime Video. (Right) Chloë Grace Moretz attends ‘Nimona’ NY Special Screening at AMC Lincoln Square Theater on June 24, 2023 in New York City. Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Netflix.
Preview:
Walton Goggins and Chloë Grace Moretz are aboard to star in ‘Mister’.
It’ll mark the directorial debut of Second Unit specialist and stunt coordinator Wade Eastwood.
The producers of ‘John Wick’ are backing this one.
Wade Eastwood, an accomplished stuntman, stunt coordinator and second-unit director is now making the leap to the main chair –– and filming is scheduled to kick off in Madrid next month, with ‘John Wick’ production company Thunder Road involved.
Written by Nicki Cortese and Nick Inglis, ‘Mister’ follows a man (Goggins) who wakes up in a strange house covered in blood and comes to realize his true identity while fighting off contract killers from his past — including everyone from his exes to his best friend. To get out, he teams up with his estranged daughter (Moretz) who also has ended up in the family business, but they will need to repair their relationship in order to survive.
Wade Eastwood talks the new leads
(L to R) Chloë Grace Moretz and Julianne Moore in 2013’s ‘Carrie’. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
Eastwood said this about his new cast:
“From our first conversations, I knew Walton would bring an unpredictable spark you simply can’t manufacture — he’s electric. Chloë brings an incredible mix of strength, vulnerability and razor-sharp timing. Together, they make Mister exactly what we set out to create: bold, funny and completely full-throttle.”
Walton Goggins in ‘The White Lotus’ Season 3. Photo: Fabio Lovino/HBO.
Arriving on Prime Video on December 17 is the second season of ‘Fallout’ (one episode will release weekly), the wild and chaotic adaptation of the popular game title.
‘Fallout’ proved to be a hit when it premiered in April last year, and now here comes the next chapter. Can the show continue to bottle the same level of chaotic dystopia, wild dark humor and a surprising level of heart?
On the evidence of the six episodes (of eight total) provided to press to review, the answer is a mixed yes.
Showrunners Graham Wagner and Geneva Robertson-Dworet, plus the likes of creative partners Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, keep up a similar level of madness as Lucy (Ella Purnell) and the Ghoul (Walton Goggins) continue their journey through the wasteland.
The show remains an entertaining watch, though the second season still suffers from some of the issues of the first –– when the narrative focus switches from the main duo (or flashbacks to the Ghoul’s past life as movie star Cooper Howard, wrapped up in the events that led to the dystopian wasteland) –– the interest level does tend to dip.
And that’s despite fun guest turns from the likes of Kumail Nanjiani and someone who has a long ling with voice work in the games that we won’t spoil here.
Visually, the show has lost none of its blend of steampunk/‘Mad Max’-esque charm, and the production values remain high.
Purnell and Goggins continue to be the standouts of the show, the joint beating heart. Some of the new communities they meet along the way certainly entertain and Kyle MacLachlan’s Hank is also great value, experimenting on the poor schlubs at the Vault-Tec building he heads to in Vegas.
On the villainous front (not that there are strict black-and-white sides in this world), Justin Theroux is enjoyably slimy as Robert House, an iconic manipulator from the game.
‘Fallout’s blend of sly satire, raucous action (the series appears to be looking to give Prime Video stablemate ‘The Boys’ a run for its money in terms of heads exploded or otherwise damaged), continues, even if some elements feel repetitive and the storyline’s interest level dips away from the main duo.
The new season picks up in the aftermath of Season One’s epic finale and take audiences along for a journey through the wasteland of the Mojave to the post-apocalyptic city of New Vegas.
Based on one of the greatest video game series of all time, ‘Fallout’ is the story of haves and have-nots in a world in which there’s almost nothing left to have. Two hundred years after the apocalypse, the gentle denizens of luxury fallout shelters are forced to return to the irradiated hellscape their ancestors left behind — and are shocked to discover an incredibly complex, gleefully weird, and highly violent universe waiting for them.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of sitting down in-person with Walton Goggins to talk about his work on the second season of ‘Fallout’, how The Ghoul has changed since season one, what excited the actor about season 2, and if he knows Cooper Howard’s full backstory or if he likes learning about it with the audience.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Goggins, Aaron Moten, Moisés Arias, and series creator Geneva Robertson-Dworet.
MF: To begin with, how has The Ghoul changed since season one and what you were most excited about exploring with the character this season?
Walton Goggins: We pick up where we left off in season one with the Ghoul and with Cooper Howard. Season one begins on this post-apocalyptic road trip across the Mojave Desert heading to New Vegas. He’s traveling with Lucy. He’s able to see her as a human being for the first time. This is the first time he’s been around a person for any length of time and a very long time. She has a different point of view than mine. She’s an optimist. I’m a nihilist. On the other side of this, one of them will win out. Either she’ll become more like me, or I’ll become more like her. The thing that was so challenging that I found myself being resistant to was being vulnerable. It was like the inverse of what I usually get to experience. So that was interesting. You dovetail that in with Cooper Howard, and picking up with him finding out that his wife is a principal architect for the ending of the world, and him realizing that the rug was pulled out from underneath him and the world that he thought existed doesn’t exist and he is living in a world of chaos, and he has no control over it. We get to spend so much more time with Cooper this year, so you really get to see it from his point of view and how that informs The Ghoul. You understand him more predicated on Cooper’s experience.
MF: Finally, how much of Cooper Howards’ backstory do you know at this point? Did the writers tell you his entire history, or do you learn more about the character episode to episode like the audience does?
WG: No, I think it’s changing. I mean, I have a direct pipeline to obviously the writers and to Jonah, and I’ve been invited to sit at the table and to collaborate with shows and movies for a long time now, so I get that extension, that courtesy, if you will. So, we do have those conversations and what that means, what could it mean? Then we’ll have those talks and then it might be what we talked about, or it might be something radically different. But we all are trying to go in the same direction and say something because it’s through Cooper Howard that you experience the world before the bombs dropped. The Ghoul is unique in this world and that all the other factions want to have the world look like they want it to look. The Ghoul, he wants nothing from the world. He just wants to find his family. That’s all.
The second season continues the story set in the wasteland of post-nuclear America and will introduce New Vegas, a major location from the video game ‘Fallout: New Vegas’.
Universal Studios Orlando’s Horror Nights 2025. Photo: Wendy Lee Szany.
In this Western horrorscape, demons are clawing their way out of Hell to possess unsuspecting humans, and it’s up to bounty hunters Hatchet and Chain to stop them. While this house had some cool light effects and set pieces, such as the demon in the fireplace, the story was not as cohesive as it could have been. However, it is still a fun house and a good original creation.
Official synopsis:
In this Old West town, all hell is breaking loose. Red-hot lava demons are trying to possess everyone, melting everything in their path. Your only hope: Hatchet and Chains with their mystical weapons.
9. Grave of Flesh
Universal Studios Orlando’s Horror Nights 2025. Photo: Wendy Lee Szany.
This haunted house begins with a warning from a gravedigger, and soon, guests descend into the depths of the underworld. There are hellish creatures in every nook and cranny, but the ending was a bit anticlimactic compared to the rest of the maze.
Official Synopsis:
Welcome to your funeral, where things are about to go from bad to worse. You’ll enter your grave and then the underworld, where flesh-eaters who feed on the dead will hunt you for all eternity.
8. ‘Jason Universe’
Universal Studios Orlando’s Horror Nights 2025. Photo: Wendy Lee Szany.
It is always a treat to see a horror classic like Jason at Halloween Horror Nights. This house is filled with various Jasons from across the ‘Friday the 13th’ film franchise, and even a special appearance of Pamela Vorhees. The scares in the first half of the maze felt too few and spread out, and it wasn’t until the second half of the maze that the numerous Jasons jumped out at guests relentlessly. It was a good maze, but not as great as some of the other Jason mazes from the past.
Official Synopsis:
Come face-to-face with the iconic horror villain Jason Voorhees. Step into the terrifying world of this silent killer. Flee through the woods and into his sinister shack. Enter the summer camp where his gruesome legend began. Jason is back, and nothing can save you now!
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7. Gálkn: The Monsters of the North
Universal Studios Orlando’s Horror Nights 2025. Photo: Wendy Lee Szany.
Inspired by Nordic mythology, this haunted house has stunning set designs. Following the tragic story about the protector of the land who became corrupt. Her vengeful spirit and her monsters taunt guests through various settings, such as tunnels covered in runes. This beautifully designed house offers up a great story and good jump scares.
Official Synopsis:
In a remote northern village, a wicked being rises from the dead, bringing a horde of monsters and demons from the fjords to wreak havoc on the townspeople. Try to escape the belly of the beast.
Universal Studios Orlando’s Horror Nights 2025. Photo: Wendy Lee Szany.
Based on the Prime Video series and video game of the same name, this maze does a great job taking guests through various locations from the show and encounters with characters such as Lucy, Maximus, and Cooper Howard/ the Ghoul. While not particularly scary, the production design of the haunted house was a feast for the eyes. Keep your eyes peeled for an Easter Egg tease for season 2.
Official Synopsis:
Face your fears in post-apocalyptic LA, devastated by nuclear war, based on the hit show and game franchise “Fallout.” You’ll travel into the vaults and be attacked by raiders alongside Lucy. You’ll escape to the wasteland and confront the bounty hunter, The Ghoul. You’ll even encounter Maximus with the Brotherhood of Steel and see T-60 power armor.
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5. ‘The Horrors of the Wyatt Sicks’
Universal Studios Orlando’s Horror Nights 2025. Photo: Wendy Lee Szany.
Based on the lore from the ‘Firefly Fun House’ TV segments, this house pays tribute to Bray Wyatt’s legacy and puts guests face-to-face with Uncle Howdy, Rambling Rabbit, Mercy the Buzzard, Huskus the Pig, and Abby the Witch. Even for non-WWE fans, it’s cool to be so immersed in this world, especially with the screen tunnel featuring wrestling personalities.
Official Synopsis:
Enter the eerie arena of The Wyatt Sicks, where you’ll go through an ominous doorway into the maniacal minds of Uncle Howdy, Rambling Rabbit, Mercy the Buzzard, Abby the Witch, and Huskus the Pig.
4. ‘Dolls: Let’s Play Dead’
Universal Studios Orlando’s Horror Nights 2025. Photo: Wendy Lee Szany.
Do dolls creep you out? If so, this house dials the scares up to 100. Guests are shrunk down to doll-size as they traverse through this twisted dollhouse filled with unnatural recreations of mutilated dolls and toys. Ever wondered what it’s like to be in the ‘Toy Story’ villain Sid’s bedroom? This is it. Every corner is a mangled nightmare waiting for its next victim. Great jump scares, even greater horrific images.
Official Synopsis:
You’re about to become doll-sized and witness the unnatural creations of a twisted little girl. You’ll be hunted by burnt fashion dolls, toys she’s melded together and undead horrors in her dollhouse.
Universal Studios Orlando’s Horror Nights 2025. Photo: Wendy Lee Szany.
Based on the popular video game and movie, this haunted house features larger-than-life animatronics and puppets created by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop. With eight-foot-tall animatronics and ghost kids lurking around every corner, this haunted house will definitely get your heart pumping. Fans of the franchise will love this house.
Official Synopsis:
Freddy and the Gang Are Dying to Meet You. You wouldn’t last one night at Freddy’s, let alone five. You’re about to be hunted by deadly animatronics Freddy, Bonnie, Chica and Foxy as you flee through creepy, abandoned hallways.
Universal Studios Orlando’s Horror Nights 2025. Photo: Wendy Lee Szany.
A terrifying maze featuring Art the Clown and his many gruesome kill scenes from the movies. This is the most grotesque of all ten houses. Art the Clown pops out at every corner, and each kill scene gets more gruesome. If you’re sensitive to smells, a portion of this maze is filled with the stink of feces. Guests are also put through a “blood bath” where water rains down on them in a tunnel. There is an option for a “dry path” if you prefer not to get wet, but what’s the fun in that?
Official Synopsis:
Nothing can prepare you for this grisly haunted house based on all three of Damien Leone’s Terrifier films. Try your luck against the sadistic Art the Clown in his twisted funhouse. Witness Art’s gleefully grotesque handiwork of torture. You’ll be left literally dripping with terror and drenched with fear. It’s a whole new level of gore!
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1. ‘El Artista: A Spanish Haunting’
Universal Studios Orlando’s Horror Nights 2025. Photo: Wendy Lee Szany.
The standout of the event is ‘El Artista: A Spanish Haunting’. It takes place in 19th-century Spain, and the story follows an artist who is tormented inside his manor as he desperately seeks inspiration. This is the most hauntingly beautiful house, including a demon flying on a zipline above guests in the courtyard.
Aside from the incredible production design, each creature encountered are so unique – like the monster made out of book pages. The maze is evenly paced with jump scares, and has the best story out of the original mazes.
Official Synopsis:
In 19th century Spain, a tortured artist moves to an isolated country manor to seek inspiration. Instead, the art comes alive and possesses him. You’re about to be part of the permanent exhibition.
Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights runs from August 29 through November 2, 2025.
Universal Studios Orlando’s Horror Nights 2025. Photo: Wendy Lee Szany.
Movies and TV Shows that inspired 2025’s Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights:
Universal Studios Orlando’s Horror Nights 2025. Photo: Wendy Lee Szany.
Preview:
A Look at This Year’s Ten Haunted Houses
Scare Zones and Live Shows
Themed Food and Merchandise
The Halloween season is upon us, and what better way to kick it off than the 34th annual Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Orlando, taking place August 29 through November 2, 2025. This year’s event will feature ten haunted houses, four scare zones, two live shows, themed food and drinks, and merchandise.
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Moviefone had the pleasure of traveling to Orlando, Florida, to experience Halloween Horror Nights 34, exploring all the haunted houses and scare zones.
There are a total of ten haunted houses this year, with four based on popular franchises such as ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s,’ ‘WWE: The Horrors of the Wyatt Sicks,’, ‘Fallout,’ and ‘Terrifier’. The remaining six houses are original creations that can only be found at Universal Orlando.
Universal Studios Orlando’s Horror Nights 2025. Photo: Wendy Lee Szany.
Based on the popular video game and movie, this haunted house marks the franchise’s debut as a haunted house at Halloween Horror Nights 34. It features larger-than-life animatronics and puppets created by the Jim Henson’s Creature Shop.
Official Synopsis:
Freddy and the Gang Are Dying to Meet You. You wouldn’t last one night at Freddy’s, let alone five. You’re about to be hunted by deadly animatronics Freddy, Bonnie, Chica and Foxy as you flee through creepy, abandoned hallways.
With eight-foot-tall animatronics and ghost kids lurking around every corner, this haunted house will definitely get your adrenaline pumping and satisfy any FNAF fan out there.
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‘Fallout’
Universal Studios Orlando’s Horror Nights 2025. Photo: Wendy Lee Szany.
Based on the Prime Video series and video game of the same name, this maze will take guests through various locations from the show and encounters with characters such as Lucy, Maximus, and Cooper Howard/ the Ghoul.
Official Synopsis:
Face your fears in post-apocalyptic LA, devastated by nuclear war, based on the hit show and game franchise “Fallout.” You’ll travel into the vaults and be attacked by raiders alongside Lucy. You’ll escape to the wasteland and confront the bounty hunter, The Ghoul. You’ll even encounter Maximus with the Brotherhood of Steel and see T-60 power armor.
While not particularly scary, the production design of the haunted house was a feast for the eyes. Keep your eyes peeled for an Easter Egg tease for season 2.
‘Terrifier’
Universal Studios Orlando’s Horror Nights 2025. Photo: Wendy Lee Szany.
The cult horror film franchise comes to life this year with the ‘Terrifier’ maze, featuring Art the Clown and his many gruesome kill scenes from the movies. There is also a “blood bath” path where guests are soaked with water raining down from the ceiling.
Official Synopsis:
Nothing can prepare you for this grisly haunted house based on all three of Damien Leone’s Terrifier films. Try your luck against the sadistic Art the Clown in his twisted funhouse. Witness Art’s gleefully grotesque handiwork of torture. You’ll be left literally dripping with terror and drenched with fear. It’s a whole new level of gore!
This haunted house is the most grotesque of all ten houses. Art the Clown will pop out at every corner, and each featured kill scene gets more and more gruesome. If you’re sensitive to smells, be warned that this maze is filled with scents such as bleach and feces. There is an option for a “dry path” and a “blood bath”, with Art the Clown standing above, urging guests to take the Blood Bath.
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‘The Horrors of the Wyatt Sicks”
Universal Studios Orlando’s Horror Nights 2025. Photo: Wendy Lee Szany.
This is the first collaboration between Universal Orlando and WWE. The maze is based on the lore from the ‘Firefly Fun House’ TV segments and pays tribute to Bray Wyatt’s legacy. Attendees will come face-to-face with Uncle Howdy, Rambling Rabbit, Mercy the Buzzard, Huskus the Pig, and Abby the Witch.
Official Synopsis:
Enter the eerie arena of The Wyatt Sicks, where you’ll go through an ominous doorway into the maniacal minds of Uncle Howdy, Rambling Rabbit, Mercy the Buzzard, Abby the Witch, and Huskus the Pig.
This is the maze to visit for any WWE fan looking to be immersed in the lore. Its unique story and characters make this haunted house a standout and an unforgettable experience.
‘Jason Universe’
Universal Studios Orlando’s Horror Nights 2025. Photo: Wendy Lee Szany.
It is always a treat to see horror classics at Halloween Horror Nights, and this year is no different with ‘Jason Universe’. This haunted house is filled with various Jasons across the ‘Friday the 13th’ film franchise.
Official Synopsis:
Come face to face with the iconic horror villain Jason Voorhees. Step into the terrifying world of this silent killer. Flee through the woods and into his sinister shack. Enter the summer camp where his gruesome legend began. Jason is back and nothing can save you now!
There’s no escape from Jason while you’re in this haunted house. Though relentless, the scares got a bit repetitive by the end.
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Original Haunted Houses
Universal Studios Orlando’s Horror Nights 2025. Photo: Wendy Lee Szany.
HHN 34 also includes five original haunted houses, including ‘Galkin: Monsters of the North’, inspired by ancient Nordic mythology and creatures, and ‘Grave of the Flesh’, where guests are invited to their own funeral.
‘Hatchet and Chain: Demon Bounty Hunters’ is reminiscent of ‘Slaughter Sinema 2’, where demons are crawling their way out of Hell to possess unsuspecting humans while melting everything in their path.
‘Dolls: Let’s Play Dead’ is not one to be missed. Guests become “doll-sized” as they enter this haunted house, and will encounter a variety of the most unnatural re-creations of dolls and toys. Everything, from set designs to scareactors, works cohesively in this twisted dollhouse.
The standout of the original houses is ‘El Artista: A Spanish Haunting’. Taking place in 19th-century Spain, an artist is tormented inside his manor as he desperately seeks inspiration. This is the most hauntingly beautiful house, including a demon flying above guests in the courtyard.
Live Entertainment and Scare Zones
Universal Studios Orlando’s Horror Nights 2025. Photo: Wendy Lee Szany.
There are two live shows available during Halloween Horror Nights – ‘Nightmare Fuel: Circus of Decay’, which is a sequel to last year’s live spectacular ‘Nightmare Fuel: Nocturnal Circus’. Gravity-defying aerialists and fiery pyro acts wow the audience as the best live entertainment of the event.
‘Haunt-o-Phonic: A Gholish Journey’ is a water show taking place at Universal Studios Lagoon, featuring haunting images projected onto giant water screens, lighting effects, music, and synchronized dancing water fountains.
This year’s event includes four scare zones: ‘The Origins of Horror,’ ‘Mutations: Toxic Twenties,’ ‘Masquerade: Dance with Death,’ and ‘The Cat Lady of Crooked Lane.’ Each zone offers a unique theme and its own assembly of scare-actors taunting guests as they make their way through the park.
Themed Food and Merchandise
Universal Studios Orlando’s Horror Nights 2025. Photo: Wendy Lee Szany.
There are a variety of foods created in theme of this year’s haunted houses. ‘Terrifier’ fans can enjoy the Clown Cafe Bloody Popcorn, a bucket filled with popcorn chicken, pepperoni, marinara “blood” sauce, and spiced parmesan. For something sweet, try the Abracadabra Sunflower Glasses sugar cookies, complete with chocolate blood splatters.
‘Fallout’ enthusiasts can try the Yum Yum Deviled “Eggs”, but everything is not as it seems when it comes to this creation. The eggs are actually coconut panacotta with pineapple whipped ganache and Tajin.
Universal Studios Orlando’s Horror Nights 2025. Photo: Wendy Lee Szany.
Indulge in a Mister Cupcake from ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’, a delicious chocolate cupcake topped with a generous amount of pink mascarpone frosting. Filled with cannoli cream and raspberry, and finished with chocolate eyes and teeth.
Specially themed merchandise, such as Art the Clown popcorn bucket, is available at the Tribute Store near the Mutation: Toxic Twenties scare zone.
Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights runs from August 29 through November 2, 2025.
Universal Studios Orlando’s Horror Nights 2025. Photo: Wendy Lee Szany.
Movies and TV Shows that inspired 2025’s Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights:
Macaulay Culkin in ‘Party Monster’. Photo: Strand Releasing.
Preview:
Macaulay Culkin is joining ‘Fallout’ Season 2.
Prime Video’s adaptation of the video game series saw success when it launched this year.
The post-apocalyptic story will continue.
Prime Video found itself with a winner on its hands –– at least critically, but according to parent company Amazon, also in terms of viewership –– this past April, via ‘Fallout,’ the quirky, post-apocalyptic thriller series drawn from Bethesda Game Studios’ wildly popular set of video games.
It debuted as one of Prime Video’s Top 3 most watched titles and earned 16 Emmy nominations for its first season, including Outstanding Drama Series.
According to Deadline, Season 2 will see ‘Home Alone’s Macaulay Culkin joining them, his role mostly a mystery but apparently someone who is a crazy genius. Which seems fitting for the mad world in which ‘Fallout’ takes place.
‘Fallout’ is the story of haves and have-nots in a world in which there’s almost nothing left to have.
Two-hundred years after the apocalypse, the gentle denizens of luxury fallout shelters are forced to return to the irradiated hellscape their ancestors left behind—and are shocked to discover an incredibly complex, gleefully weird, and highly violent universe waiting for them.
Season 2 promises to deliver more of the madness, mutants and mysteries audiences came to enjoy from the first.
Purnell plays Lucy, an optimistic Vault Dweller with an all-American, can-do spirit. Her peaceful and idealistic nature is tested when people harm her loved ones.
Aaron Moten stars as Maximus, A young soldier who hides his tragic past as he serves in a militaristic faction called Brotherhood of Steel. He believes in the nobility of the Brotherhood’s mission to bring law and order to the Wasteland — and will do anything to further their goals… until he learns some harsh truths.
Goggins steals scenes as The Ghoul. The Ghoul survives the Wasteland as a bounty hunter. He is pragmatic, ruthless, and hides a mysterious past.
MacLachlan is Hank, the Overseer of Vault 33 and Lucy’s father. He is eager to change the world for the better –– but has turned out to be not so positive…
When will Season 2 be on screens?
Given that it’s only now started shooting, we’re expecting to wait a while for this one. Hopefully it’ll be before the end of 2025.
The 2024 Emmy Awards will air on ABC Sunday, Sept. 15th.
Preview:
‘The Bear,’ ‘Shogun’ and ‘Baby Reindeer were among the big winners at the 2024 Emmys
‘Hacks’ was a surprise winner.
Dan and Eugene Levy hosted the night.
It might have been the second Emmys of 2024 (thanks to the strike-delayed first landing in January of this year), but otherwise it was business as usual for the TV Academy’s awards show.
Though there was the standard bout of repetition (‘The Bear’ won 11 awards, breaking its own record), while Billy Crudup and Jean Smart won more awards (for ‘The Morning Show’ and ‘Hacks respectively), there was still room for some surprises –– Lamorne Morris triumphed in the Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie category for ‘Fargo’ over Robert Downey Jr. for ‘The Sympathizer,’ while talking of ‘Hacks,’ it was the somewhat shocking (if welcome) winner in the Comedy Series arena over ‘The Bear.’
The other big winners were in the limited series category (even if one of them is in early development on its second season) as ‘Shogun’ and ‘Baby Reindeer’ nabbed multiple trophies. Jodie Foster won the first Emmy of her career for ‘True Detective: Night Country.’
(L to R) Annie Murphy, Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara and Daniel Levy in ‘Schitt’s Creek’. Photo: CBC Television.
Eugene and Dan Levy, the stars (and in Dan’s case, creator) of ‘Schitt’s Creek,’ hosted the evening, kicking off with a monologue that touched on the controversy of a constantly dramatic show like ‘The Bear’ dominating the comedy categories and the growing presence of big movie stars on TV thanks to the lesser episodic demands of streaming shows.
And the big watchword for the show could be “nostalgia,” since various categories were handed out by stars of former TV shows such as ‘The West Wing’ and ‘Happy Days’ or those who played particular types of characters such as cops or lawyers.
There was an impassioned, funny speech from John Leguizamo about representation on television and a welcome award for TV super-producer Greg Berlanti. More confusing additions? Having Jelly Roll perform the In Memoriam song.
Here, then, is the full list of winners for the evening:
(L to R) Sandra Diaz-Twine, Trishelle Cannatella, Chris ‘C.T.’ Tamburello, Alan Cumming, Kate Chastain, Mercedes “MJ” Javid in ‘The Traitors’. Photo by: Euan Cherry/Peacock.
The 2024 Emmy nominees were announced this morning.
‘Shogun’ leads the pack with 25 nominations.
Other big favorites include ‘The Bear’ and ‘The Crown’.
The 2024 Emmy Award nominees were announced this morning by ‘Veep’ veteran Tony Hale, ‘Abbott Elementary’ regular Sheryl Lee Ralph and Television Academy chair Cris Abrego in a ceremony at Los Angeles’ El Capitan Theatre in a ceremony that was also livestreamed.
And, as is typical for the Television Academy, it represents a scattering of returning big-hitters (‘The Bear’ and ‘The Crown’), but particularly, now the likes of ‘Succession’ have left our screens, the nominees list is dominated by popular newcomers, including ‘Shōgun’ and TV’s other buzziest series, the Netflix stalker drama ‘Baby Reindeer’.
The overwhelming presence of new shows can be chalked up one-two punch of writers and actors’ strikes, which delayed work on many potential big series –– the likes of ‘House of the Dragon’, ‘The White Lotus’ ‘Yellowjackets’ and ‘The Last of Us’ will all have to wait until 2025’s Emmy season.
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It was a very good day for cable channel FX, which scored the most nominations for its well-respected novel adaptation ‘Shōgun’.
Perhaps more surprising (though welcome) is the inclusion of series such as ‘Fallout’ –– who would have expected last year that a series boasting a post-apocalyptic blend of comedy, violence and gore would have made such an impact? And Apple’s spy series ‘Slow Horses’, which broke into the Emmy race with a handful of nominations, including for star Gary Oldman.
Among the biggest stories of this year’s nominees was Nava Mau, who became the first Latina trans nominee, scoring that for her supporting role in ‘Baby Reindeer’. Indeed, the Netflix limited series did about as well as expected, landing 11 total nominations including Best Limited Series.
On a more tragic emotional note is the nomination for the late Treat Williams, who died in a motorcycle accident in June last year. He’s posthumously nominated for Best Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series for his role in ‘Feud: Capote vs. The Swans.’
Here are the main categories. Who are you hoping takes home a trophy on September 15th, when the awards are handed out?
Launching on Prime Video with all eight episodes on Thursday April 11th, ‘Fallout’ manages the tough ask of bringing a complex and sprawling video game to life in a way that will feel familiar to fans of the game and its darkly humorous style while also spinning its own tale set in that universe.
Continuing the trend for successful video game adaptations, the new show is a wild, freewheeling and well-acted ride through a landscape that feels familiar and yet has plenty of invention to spare.
With their ambitious adaptation of ‘Westworld’, Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy proved they have what it takes to bring a popular story to life in a new way. And even if that series ultimately ended up trying itself up in intellectual knots, it had a lot to say about technology, humanity and society whilst presenting some unique visions and concepts.
‘Fallout’, which never pretends to explore such high-minded ideals, is its own way smart, satirical and entertaining while also being far wilder and out there in execution. And that’s thanks primarily to show co-creators and overseers Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Graham Wagner, who really let loose when it comes to the oddball characters and creatures populating this story.
If you’re an established fan of Tim Cain’s games, then you’ll find plenty to enjoy here. And if not, you won’t be turned off.
Perhaps the smartest move that Robertson-Dworet and Wagner made is to set this TV iteration of ‘Fallout’ in its own story, borrowing concepts and some key characters from the game, but introducing us to an out-there scorched Earth primarily through the eyes of devout and plucky Vault Dweller Lucy (Ella Purnell). As with the game, we experience the craziness that lurks outside the protective doors initially in contained form when her Vault is attacked, and her father (Kyle McLachlan’s Hank) kidnapped.
It makes for a handy, organic way to provide the necessary exposition as Lucy makes her way through this terrifying, beautifully-designed world, meeting dangerous people and unusual creatures created in the centuries since America was set aflame in nuclear combat.
Lucy’s story in particular works well as a narrative focal point, but there’s also some welcome depth to the antagonist of the piece, the Ghoul, played by Walton Goggins. Looking for all the world like a cousin to Marvel’s Red Skull, he’s also a combo of grizzled gunslinger and bitter warrior. And the show digs further into his backstory in ways that we won’t spoil here.
Which is not to say Nolan in particular doesn’t have a hand in the show –– he directs the first three episodes, dictating the tone and style of the show, and here feels like a director unrestrained after the statelier, brain-fodder feel of ‘Westworld’ (for all that show’s bursts of violence). He and the creative team have crafted a truly lived-in look to the ‘Fallout’ world, with distinctive characters and intriguing plot turns.
Purnell is more than able to carry the show as Lucy, who has her preconceived notions of how the world should work quickly shattered when she ventures beyond the Vault following its breaching by raiders. It’s through her eyes that we see most of the story, and Purnell brings plenty of charisma to the part, along with a strength and steel that Lucy needs to survive.
Yet its Goggins who has the most to do here –– he’s the first character we meet in the time before the nuclear attack, his long-lived nature is explored and explained, and there are flashbacks to the man he was back then. It’s a fully-rounded role and one that the experienced character fills with gusto and his usual scuffed charm. There’s a sly humor to his present-day demeanor and some real pathos in his past.
If there is a weak link among the show’s stories, it’s perhaps in Aaron Moten’s Maximus, the young, brutalized member of the Brotherhood of Steel, an armed force dedicated to unearthing the former world one item at a time and enforcing their own mechanized brand of rough justice on the current one. While the attitude of the Brotherhood and his own rebellious reaction to it offers some fun, it’s perhaps a little more straightforward than some of the other elements and doesn’t work as well.
Which is no fault of Moten, who contributes a likeable, conflicted performance in the role. Around them is an excellent cast of supporting characters, with Michael Emerson it’s best to experience for the first time on screen, so as not to diminish its entertainment factor. Suffice to say, it’s the sort of quirky performance in which he excels.
‘Fallout’ should serve as both a way into the story for those who’ve never played the game and a worthy extension of the world for those who have completed the various releases and have a Vault Boy Funko Pop giving them a thumbs-up from their desk.
We’ve seen any number of post-apocalyptic stories through the years, and if this borrows some common tropes and visuals, it has more than enough tweaks and humor to keep it feeling unique and often laugh out loud funny –– when it’s not being gruesome. But it’s always compelling and can stand proudly among the better adaptations of game content.
The show depicts the aftermath of an apocalyptic nuclear exchange in an alternate history where advances in nuclear technology after WWII led to the emergence of a retrofuturistic society and a subsequent resource war. The survivors took refuge in fallout bunkers known as Vaults, built to preserve humanity in the event of nuclear annihilation. Two centuries later, a young woman (Ella Purnell), a descendant of the original “Vault Dwellers” from one of many Vaults, leaves behind the only life she has ever known to venture out into the dangerously hostile and savage Wasteland of a devastated Los Angeles.
(L to R) Ella Purnell and Aaron Moten talk ‘Fallout.’
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Ella Purnell and Aaron Moten about their work on ‘Fallout’, their first reaction to the screenplay, their knowledge of the game, their characters, and the world that Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy have created.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Purnell, Moten, Kyle MacLachlan, Michael Emerson, executive producer and director Jonathan Nolan, and executive producers and writers Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Graham Wagner.
Moviefone: To begin with, Ella, what was your first reaction to the screenplay and what were some of the aspects of your character that you were excited to explore on screen?
Ella Purnell: I remember it perfectly. I was sitting on the couch. I was ill, and every five pages I’d be like, “Wait, this is really cool.” I just kept going and kept going. I was absolutely blown away by the level of detail. I knew of the games, but I wasn’t familiar, I hadn’t played them at that point, so I wasn’t familiar with the tone. I got that from the script. I got the dark comedy, I got the balance of the humor with the heavy post-apocalyptic, and the fifties/sixties retro-futuristic style was so exciting to me. More than anything, it was the character. She, I just thought was so funny and direct, and I really loved her attitudes, which is partly a product of her upbringing and her environment, and partly just who she is. You know when you really want to watch a show that you should really try to be in the show.
MF: Aaron, how familiar were you with the game and what was your reaction to this incredible world that Jonathan Nolan and the writers have created?
Aaron Moten: I mean, I knew of ‘Fallout’, right? I was not of my friend group that got into playing ‘Fallout’ but I played other games at the time. Here’s this weird full circle moment where it’s like the world is telling me, “Hey, we’ll give you a chance now in real time to roam through these worlds.” I mean, it is incredibly detailed and it’s so dense, and that’s what makes it fun, especially as an actor to get to really feel like this is your playground for the day. It got so exciting where we would be looking at scripts and when we’d be talking on set about like, “Oh man, I can’t wait to see what they come up with for this setup. And where are we going to be for such and such scene?” It just was so thrilling, honestly, as an actor to get to live in this world.
MF: Ella, can you talk about Lucy’s journey and what she discovers about herself and the world around her after she leaves the vault?
EP: It’s a great question. What I like about Lucy is there’s so much more to her than what you see, and I think people will underestimate her, and I’m excited to show them what she’s capable of. She’s obviously incredibly naive and innocent. She grew up in a vault underground being drip-fed propaganda from a corporation her entire life. She’s the daughter of the overseer. She’s essentially the president’s daughter. She has a role and a duty and a belief that that is what she was bred and is going to do. I think people don’t know who they are sometimes until they’re put in a certain situation, a challenging situation. Only then do you really know what you’re made of. That for her is absolutely going to the Wasteland. I mean, she really goes through it. It’s tough for her, and she just has this bravery that emerges that I don’t think she even knew she had inside her. It comes from this inherent belief, and choosing to continue to believe that humans have inherent goodness inside them, no matter how evil and lawless they may appear to be on the Wasteland.
MF: Finally, Aaron, can you talk about Maximus’s role in the Brotherhood of Steel, and does he begin to question what he’s fighting for?
AM: Absolutely. I think, that’s one of these things that the characters have a lot of differences, between these three main characters, but they have similarities, and they have these touchstones of moments that they kind of separately share. I agree with until Maximus is put into certain situations, it’s a discovery of what do I really feel about something? I know that the Brotherhood is a harsh reality, and even being born and raised in the Wasteland would be a harsh reality. It’s a tough existence for Maximus and everything I think has been a bit of a struggle for him. So, survival being an important thing for all these characters, I think he’s trying to look out for himself at times but is he making a noble pursuit and it’s about rising-up, gaining power and fighting off his own devils because of that.
The show depicts the aftermath of an apocalyptic nuclear exchange in an alternate history where advances in nuclear technology after WWII led to the emergence of a retrofuturistic society and a subsequent resource war. The survivors took refuge in fallout bunkers known as Vaults, built to preserve humanity in the event of nuclear annihilation. Two centuries later, a young woman (Ella Purnell), a descendant of the original “Vault Dwellers” from one of many Vaults, leaves behind the only life she has ever known to venture out into the dangerously hostile and savage Wasteland of a devastated Los Angeles.
