⁠Greg Nicotero presents television’s first ever horror competition show Guts & Glory 

TV is about to get spooky with Guts & Glory, the first ever horror themed competition show. It’s the brainchild of Greg Nicotero, the award-winning effects wizard and Walking Dead exec producer who knows a thing or two about making nightmares look real. The six-part series drops September 9, 2025, with the first two episodes hitting AMC and Shudder at the same time, doubling as Shudder’s 10-year anniversary treat.

Nicotero revealed the project during the Daryl Dixon Comic-Con panel, instantly sending horror fans into a frenzy. The format looks like a regular competition, until it doesn’t. Contestants walk in expecting challenges, only to realize they’ve stepped into a full-blown haunted scenario, complete with scares lurking around every corner.

With Nicotero’s KNB EFX Group crafting the gore and ghouls, the show promises scares that feel straight out of a horror movie. Guts & Glory isn’t just another reality show, it’s a high-stakes experiment mashing up gameplay, jump scares, and Hollywood level effects. If it works, reality TV may have just unlocked a brand new, blood-soaked genre.

Nicotero’s expertise in horror and the revolutionary format of Guts & Glory

Guts & Glory isn’t just another competition show, it’s a creepy mash up of survival games and straight up horror. Contestants think they’re just there to play, but each challenge drops them into a nightmare zone packed with scares designed to push both their skills and their nerves.

Instead of tossing up plastic cobwebs and fake bats, Greg Nicotero flips the script by weaving in real horror-movie magic. Players slowly realize what they’ve walked into, which means their screams and strategies are as real as it gets. The result is a mix of adrenaline-pumping contests and goosebump-raising scares that hits two audiences at once: gamers and horror junkies.

Nicotero’s no rookie, his company KNB EFX has been at it for over 25 years, shaping more than 800 projects, from Inglourious Basterds to Sin City. He’s also the guy who made Breaking Bad look gritty and The Walking Dead look terrifying.

Now, with him steering both the creative and effects side, the show’s scares won’t just feel TV-ready, they’ll look movie level. Backed by Monster Agency Productions, Guts & Glory promises competition with teeth. Chris Wagner from White Label and Andrew Molina from Salaryman join as additional executive producers, while Jeffrey F. January serves as co-executive producer.

AMC and Shudder's joint premiere strategy maximizes audience reach across both mainstream and horror focused demographics. The September 9 debut aligns with Shudder's anniversary celebration, positioning the show as a landmark achievement for the horror streaming platform.

Nicotero’s legacy and what lies ahead for him

Beyond Guts & Glory, Nicotero continues expanding his television presence with an upcoming Swan Song adaptation based on Robert McCammon's post-apocalyptic novel. This project further demonstrates his commitment to bringing horror literature to television audiences.

His recent work on the Jaws restoration for the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures showcases his dedication to preserving horror cinema history while creating new content. Guts & Glory represents a significant evolution in Nicotero's career, transitioning from behind the scenes effects work to front-facing creative leadership. The show's success could establish him as a major force in horror television production while potentially inspiring similar genre-blending competitions across the industry.

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Guts & Glory premieres September 9, 2025, on AMC and Shudder.

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