HBO to Debut 'The Franchise' & Another Failed Cinematic Universe
Since the launch of Max (nee HBO Max) in the summer of 2020, its parent companies (first AT&T, now Warner Bros. Discovery) have imported and co-produced British comedies. Not that most people are aware of it; AT&T assumed if you stream it, they would magically find it; Warner Bros. considered them too highfalutin and basically let whatever season was lined up happen with zero marketing and then gleefully canceled them. However, the streaming service's struggle has led the head of WBD, David Zaslav, to hand off Max programming to the head of HBO, Casey Bloys, in hopes of scoring a hit. The Franchise may not be that hit, but at least it's getting a fair shake.
A six-episode British comedy in the same vein as undermarketed shows like I Hate Suzie and Starstruck, The Franchise is a satirical look at the behind-the-scenes work that goes into making big-budget superhero films, such as those in the Marvel Cinematic Universe or Warner Bros. Pictures' own DC Universe. An ensemble cast of comedians play the artisans and writers stuck trying to write dreck while wondering if their degrees will ever be worth anything, while idiot directors demand less intelligent dialogue, producers demand larger, more impressive CGI without having to pay for them, and A-list actors from the BBC and the independent film world struggle to act with tennis balls, ridiculous costumes, and endless greenscreens.
The series' timing is a tad hilarious, as WBD will release its latest entry in the DC Universe, Joker: Folie à Deux, within days of the show's premiere. A superhero film with delusions of grandeur and a director who fooled Oscar voters once by pretending he hadn't made a comic book movie, the sequel (which was heavily panned when it played the festival circuit) doesn't just deny it is a comic book franchise film. It also insists it is not a musical, even though it is filled with characters who randomly break into song to express how they feel.... the literal definition of a musical. One can only hope Oscar voters aren't fooled twice. The Franchise could only dream of being so ridiculous.
Here's the series' logline:
The Franchise follows the crew of an unloved franchise movie fighting for their place in a savage and unruly cinematic universe. The comedy series shines a light on the secret chaos inside the world of superhero moviemaking, to ask the question — how exactly does the cinematic sausage get made? Because every f*ck-up has an origin story.
The cast includes Himesh Patel (Enola Holmes), Aya Cash (The Boys), Jessica Hynes (W1A), Billy Magnussen (No Time To Die), Lolly Adefope (Miracle Workers), Darren Goldstein (The Gilded Age), Ruaridh Mollica (The Jetty) and Isaac Powell (American Horror Story). Recurring guest stars include Richard E. Grant (Loki) and Daniel Brühl (Captain America: The Winter Soldier).
Sam Mendes (The Hollow Crown) and Armando Iannuccci (The Thick of It) conceived the series. Jon Brown is the lead writer and showrunner, and Mendes directs. Mendes, Iannucci, and Brown executive produce with Jim Kleverweis, Pippa Harris, Nicolas Brown, and Julie Pastor for Neal Street Productions.
The Franchise debuts on Sunday, October 6, 2024, at 10:00 p.m. ET on HBO and Max and will follow a weekly schedule through November.
