As much as we all love(d) the superhero bubble, fatigue from the massive volume of content is starting to set in. In response, HBO has just greenlit a new Marvel Comics/DC Comics parody series, “The Franchise.” This series is created by Sam Mendes (“Skyfall”) and Armando Iannucci (“Veep”), with Jon Brown (“Succession,” “Veep”) as showrunner.
“The Franchise” will be a half-hour comedy series that takes a satirical behind-the-scenes look at a fictional struggling superhero movie. It will revolve around the crew of an unloved franchise movie fighting for their place in a savage and unruly cinematic universe. The series shines a light on the secret chaos inside the world of superhero moviemaking. And begs the question — how exactly does the cinematic sausage get made? Because every fuck-up has an origin story.
“With a deft touch only he can bring, Sam has brilliantly captured the romance and the reality of filmmaking today,” said Amy Gravitt, executive VP of HBO Programming. “Jon is superb at sending up worlds we think we already know. Together, with Armando, they have delivered a truly hilarious comedy ensemble. I can’t wait to see more.”
The HBO series will star Himesh Patel (“Yesterday”), Aya Cash (“You’re the Worst”), Jessica Hynes, Billy Magnussen, Lolly Adefope, Darren Goldstein, Isaac Powell, Richard E. Grant, and Daniel Brühl.
Executive producers for “The Franchise” include Mendes, Pippa Harris, Nicolas Brown, and Julie Pastor for Neal Street Productions. Iannucci for Dundee Productions, along with Brown and Jim Kleverweis.
Mendes will direct the pilot, which was written by Brown. Work on the pilot was completed before the SAG-AFTRA strike began. Production on this series will not continue until both the SAG and WGA strikes have ended.
We’ll keep you posted about updates on “The Franchise” as the become available.
