Starting in 1988, when HBO was admitted to the Emmys for the first time and began receiving its first nominations, the network has progressively become one of the dominant forces at the television awards.
Over the years, HBO has begun competing with other major competitors, including Netflix and, in recent editions, also Apple TV+, for the most prestigious awards.
The 2026 Emmy Awards saw HBO win a total of 21 statuettes, including Best Drama Series, awarded to The Pitt, and Best Limited Series, won by DTF St. Louis. Apple TV+, on the other hand, took home a total of 28 awards.
Casey Bloys, CEO of HBO, spoke about the upcoming series, outlining the network’s future strategies for the television series sector.
Bloys therefore outlined a strategy aimed at maintaining the high quality of its productions, while continuing to develop new projects and franchises that have made the network’s history.
Among the most highly anticipated productions are: The Last of Us, The White Lotus, True Detective, Harry Potter, and the DC series.
The Last of Us
The series based on the video game, produced by Naughty Dog and Neil Druckmann, is preparing for the release of its third season.
Bloys stated that it will most likely be the final season, although he has not officially announced it as such, and it is expected to arrive in 2027.
The Last of Us is set in a post-apocalyptic world devastated by a pandemic caused by a fungus. The story follows two survivors, Joel and Ellie, as they embark on a dangerous journey across the United States, facing threats and hardships while forming a bond destined to change their lives, until they encounter Abby.
He reiterated that co-creator Craig Mazin, after examining the structure of the video game, conceived the third season as the final chapter of the series.
The Last of Us 3 will focus on Abby, played by Kaitlyn Dever, and will tell the story of the entire second part of “The Last of Us – Part 2”, leading up to the final confrontation with Ellie, played by Bella Ramsey.
The White Lotus
Bloys expressed his enthusiasm for the arrival of the fourth season of The White Lotus. The HBO CEO confirmed that there will be many surprises and that its arrival is expected in the first half of 2027.
The White Lotus is an anthology series set in luxurious resorts belonging to the White Lotus chain, with each season following a new group of guests and employees. Through secrets, tensions, and conflicts, the series explores the contradictions of wealth, privilege, and human relationships.
True Detective
True Detective is heading toward its fifth season. So far, the television series has followed different thriller stories in each season, featuring different events and characters.
Bloys was keen to reiterate that the new season is currently in development and did not provide any details about the cast or its release window.
DC Series
Despite series such as “The Penguin”, based on the character of the Penguin, Batman’s villain, and the more recent “Lanterns”, which originates from the Green Lantern character, Bloys expressed uncertainty about the future development of series based on the DC universe.
There are still series that have not yet been confirmed to be in development, with only The People v. Gorilla Grodd currently having been announced. The HBO CEO reiterated the importance of selectivity regarding this editorial direction and how decisions should focus only on projects that fully convince the DC Studios team.
Harry Potter
The Harry Potter franchise, as announced some time ago, is preparing to enter the world of television series, with the first season set to premiere on December 25, 2026.
Bloys discussed the production model HBO intends to adopt, expressing uncertainty about the timeline for the series’ development.
In the past, there had been talk of a total production model spanning 10 years to complete all the seasons, while more recently there had been discussion of releasing one season every two years. Bloys reiterated that HBO will seek to optimize its resources in order to deliver the highest possible quality for the Harry Potter universe, emphasizing that they will try not to release a new season every two years.
Bloys emphasized the importance of J.K. Rowling’s involvement in the creative team and stated that the release of the first season will be an unprecedented event.
Photo Credits: Photo by BoliviaInteligente su Unsplash
