Emmy Predictions: Directing Categories — How Many ‘Succession’ Helmers Will be Chosen? Could ‘The Bear’ Spoil? Is There Room for ‘Beef?’

VarietyAwards Circuitsection 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 senior 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.

Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:

OSCARS | EMMYS | GRAMMYS | TONYS

UPDATED: June 5, 2023

2023 Emmy Predictions:

Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series

Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett in The Last of Us (HBO) HBO Weekly Commentary: Could Succession dominate the director drama category again this year? Mark Mylod could have submitted either Connors Wedding (Logans death) or the series finale With Open Eyes hes opted for the former (correct choice).

He also has his Succession colleagues to do battle with particularly Andrij Parekh for America Decides (election night episode) and Lorene Scafaria (Living+), who all could make the cut. But as we saw last year when four directors made it, they lost out to Squid Game (not eligible this year).

It also has Peter Hoar from The Last of Us who helms the best episode of the series with stars Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett. (Update: a previous version of this story listed Craig Mazin but he did not submit for directing, only for writing)

Read:VarietysAwards Circuit for the latest Emmy predictions in all categories.

Emmy Nominations voting runs from June 15-26. The Primetime Emmy nominations will be announced on July 12. Check back every Thursday for the latest updates. All information is preliminary and is subject to change.

2022 category winner: Squid Game (Netflix) Hwang Dong-hyuk, Red Light, Green Light

And the Predicted Nominees Are:Succession (HBO) Mark Mylod, Connors WeddingThe Last of Us (HBO) Peter Hoar, Long, Long TimeThe White Lotus (HBO) Mike White, ArrivederciSuccession (HBO) Andrij Parekh, America DecidesSuccession (HBO) Lorene Scafaria, Living+Better Call Saul (AMC) Peter Gould, Saul GoneHouse of the Dragon (HBO) Miguel Sapochnik, The Heirs of the Dragon Next in LineStranger Things (Netflix) The Duffer Brothers, Chapter Nine: The PiggybackThe Old Man (FX) Jon Watts, IThe Last of Us (HBO) Ali Abbasi, When We Are in Need Other Top-Tier PossibilitiesAndor (Disney+) Benjamin Caron, Rix RoadYellowjackets (Showtime) Liz Garbus, QuiYellowjackets (Showtime) Karyn Kusama, StorytellingHouse of the Dragon (HBO) Greg Yaitanes, The Black QueenThe Crown (Netflix) Christian Schwochow, Ipatiev HouseThe Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Prime Video) J.A. Bayona, A Shadow of the Past1923 (Paramount+) Ben Richardson, 1923Succession (HBO) Becky Martin, RehearsalSuccession (HBO) Shari Springer Berman Robert Pulcini, Tailgate PartyYellowstone (Paramount Network) Christina Alexandra Voros, A Knife and a Coin 2023 Emmy Predictions:

Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series

Henry Winkler in Barry HBO Weekly Commentary: Bill Hader, coming off his DGA win, could take another statuette home for helming the entire season of Barry. However, this race is more wide open than any of the others for series directing.

The Bear and Shrinking are the new kids that could get a large part of the TV Academy behind them while the final episodes of Ted Lasso and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel could strike heartwarming chords.

Abbott Elementary will need a directing nom this time around to make a serious bid for the top category, especially since it missed out for its inaugural season.

Read:VarietysAwards Circuit for the latest Emmy predictions in all categories.

Emmy Nominations voting runs from June 15-26. The Primetime Emmy nominations will be announced on July 12. Check back every Thursday for the latest updates. All information is preliminary and is subject to change.

2022 category winner: Ted Lasso (Apple TV+) MJ Delaney, No Weddings and a Funeral

And the Predicted Nominees Are:The Bear (FX) Christopher Storer, SystemTed Lasso (Apple TV+) Declan Lowney, So Long, FarewellBarry (HBO) Bill Hader, wowThe Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Prime Video) Amy Sherman-Palladino, Four MinutesShrinking (Apple TV+) James Ponsoldt, Coin FlipAbbott Elementary (ABC) Randall Einhorn, Development DayWednesday (Netflix) Tim Burton, Wednesdays Child is Full of Woe Next in LineTed Lasso (Apple TV+) Matt Lipsey, SunflowersAtlanta (FX) Hiro Murai, It Was All a DreamPoker Face (Peacock) Rian Johnson, Dead Mans HandShrinking (Apple TV+) Zach Braff, Boop Other Top-Tier PossibilitiesOnly Murders in the Building (Hulu) John Hoffman, Persons of InterestAbbott Elementary (ABC) Ken Whittingham, MomOnly Murders in the Building (Hulu) Cherien Dabis, The TellWhat We Do in the Shadows (FX) Kyle Newacheck, Sunrise, SunsetThe Great (Hulu) Matthew Moore, The Bullet or the BearSomebody Somewhere (HBO) Jay Duplass, To EdOnly Murders in the Building (Hulu) Jamie Babbit, I Know Who Did ItReservation Dogs (FX) Sterlin Harjo, I Still BelieveDead to Me (Netflix) Liz Feldman, Weve Reached the EndMo (Netflix) Solvan Naim, Testimony 2023 Emmy Predictions:

Outstanding Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series or TV Movie

Beef. (L to R) Steven Yeun as Danny, Ali Wong as Amy in episode 107 of Beef. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix 2022 COURTESY OF NETFLIX Weekly Commentary: There isnt an obvious front-runner as weve seen in other years.

The emotional resonance of FXs Fleishman is in Trouble could do wonders for its directing duo, Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris.

We might also see our first TV movie director recognized in quite some time with Eric Appels hilarious Weird: The Al Yankovic Story from The Roku Channel.

And then theres Beef, which was a critical favorite but its two leading stars Steven Yeun and Ali Wong might be able to bring the series in for the ride, and that also includes its director Lee Sung Jun.

Read:VarietysAwards Circuit for the latest Emmy predictions in all categories.

Emmy Nominations voting runs from June 15-26. The Primetime Emmy nominations will be announced on July 12. Check back every Thursday for the latest updates. All information is preliminary and is subject to change.

2022 category winner: The White Lotus (HBO) Mike White, Series

And the Predicted Nominees Are:Fleishman is in Trouble (FX) Jonathan Dayton Valerie Faris, Summon Your WitnessesDahmer Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (Netflix) Paris Barclay, God of Forgiveness, God of VengeanceBlack Bird (Apple TV+) Michal R. Roskam, PilotWeird: The Al Yankovic Story (The Roku Channel) Eric Appel, FilmDaisy Jones the Six (Prime Video) Nzingha Stewart, Track 8: Looks Like We Made ItSwarm (Prime Video) Stung by Donald Glover Next in LineBeef (Netflix) Lee Sung Jun, Figure of LightLove Death (HBO) Lesli Linka Glatter, The HuntressObi-Wan Kenobi (Disney+) Deborah Chow, Part VIGeorge Tammy (Showtime) John Hillcoat, Series Other Top-Tier PossibilitiesA Small Light (National Geographic) Susanna Fogel, PilotDead Ringers (Prime Video) Sean Durkin, OneThe Patient (Hulu) Chris Long, IntakeWhite House Plumbers (HBO) David Mandel, SeriesTiny Beautiful Things (Hulu) Rachel Lee Goldenberg, PilotFive Days at Memorial (Apple TV+) John Ridley, Day OneFire Island (Hulu) Andrew Ahn, FilmPrey (Hulu) Dan Trachtenberg, FilmThe English (Prime Video) Hugo Blick, SeriesMrs. Davis (Peacock) Owen Harris, Mother of Mercy: The Call of the Horse Emmy Awards Predictions Categories DRAMA SERIES | COMEDY SERIES | LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES | TV MOVIE | LEAD ACTOR (DRAMA) | LEAD ACTOR (COMEDY) | LEAD ACTOR (LIMITED/TV MOVIE) | LEAD ACTRESS (DRAMA) | LEAD ACTRESS (COMEDY) | LEAD ACTRESS (LIMITED/TV MOVIE) | SUPPORTING ACTOR (DRAMA) | SUPPORTING ACTOR (COMEDY) | SUPPORTING ACTOR (LIMITED/TV MOVIE) | SUPPORTING ACTRESS (DRAMA) | SUPPORTING ACTRESS (COMEDY) | SUPPORTING ACTRESS (LIMITED/TV MOVIE) | TALK SERIES | SCRIPTED VARIETY | GAME SHOW | DIRECTING (DRAMA, COMEDY, LIMITED/TV MOVIE) | WRITING (DRAMA, COMEDY, LIMITED/TV MOVIE) | REALITY (COMPETITION, STRUCTURED, UNSTRUCTURED, HOST)

Creative Arts and Other Emmy Categories GUEST ACTOR (DRAMA) | GUEST ACTRESS (DRAMA) | GUEST ACTOR (COMEDY) | GUEST ACTRESS (COMEDY) | VOICE-OVER | SHORT FORM | DOCUMENTARY | MUSIC | ANIMATED |

About the Primetime Emmy Awards The Primetime Emmy Awards, better known as the Emmys, are given out by the Academy of Television Arts Sciences (ATAS). Since 1949, the awards have recognized excellence in American primetime television programming. They are divided into three classes Primetime Emmy Awards, the Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards (honors artisan achievements), and the Primetime Engineering Emmy Awards (recognizes significant engineering and technological contributions). The typical eligibility period is between June 1 and May 31 of any given year. The Television Academy comprises over 25,000 members, representing 30 professional peer groups, including performers, directors, producers, art directors, artisans, and executives.