Robert Downey Jr.’s Tropic Thunder is absolutely unhinged with its satirical take on the film industry. Despite its controversies, the film went on to become a cult classic with time. Now, it looks like there is another Tropic Thunder ready to grace our screens courtesy of Armando Lannucci and Sam Mendes – The Franchise starring Himesh Patel and Aya Cash amongst others.
HBO just dropped the trailer for The Franchise, and it is evident that the series is going to be a fun, light-hearted watch. Taking viewers on a satirical journey through Hollywood, the show immediately evokes memories of Tropic Thunder. Thanks to its sharp humor and scripted behind-the-scenes drama, The Franchise will attempt to take a jab at the film industry – much like Robert Downey Jr.’s film did back in 2008.
HBO’s The Franchise Gets its First Trailer
In under a month, Armando Lannucci and Sam Mendes’ The Franchise will be released on the streaming platform, Max. HBO just took the liberty of releasing the trailer and giving a glimpse into the chaotic world of filmmaking.
As per the official logline of the show, the story revolves around the “crew of an unloved franchise movie fighting for their place in a savage and unruly cinematic universe.” It goes on to add that the series will supposedly unveil the “secret chaos” behind superhero moviemaking since “every f*ck up has an origin story.”
Well, it looks like they are not holding back when it comes to “exposing” the superhero industry. Marvel and DC might need to watch their back here.
One look at the trailer reminded us of Robert Downey Jr. and Tom Cruise’s hilarious Tropic Thunder. After all, both projects are meta comedies engaging in friendly fire aimed at the film industry. The 2008 Oscar-nominated movie focuses on the making of war films, parodying some popular war flicks along the way.
On the other hand, The Franchise follows a similar pattern except instead of war, it focuses on the superhero genre whose popularity knows no bounds today. We can’t help but wonder if the MCU and DCU will be subtly targeted in the show.
Blending absurdity with satire, the combination of film-industry parody and chaotic behind-the-scenes production gives both projects a similar tone.
The Franchise Actor Talks About the Show
The Franchise stars Himesh Patel in the lead role who is best known for his work in projects like Tenet, Station Eleven, and Don’t Look Up. Alongside him, the cast includes Billy Magnussen, Darren Goldstein, Jessica Hynes, and more. The Boys’s Aya Cash is also one of the main actors.
The recurring cast includes Daniel Brühl, Richard E. Grant, and Ruaridh Mollica.
Talking to IndieWire, Magnussen opened up about The Franchise being a gift that allowed him to laugh at the absurdity of filmmaking. He stated,
The gift was, I got to laugh at all this sh*t we do. Like people with big egos being like, ‘Oh, they’re superstars.’ It’s a TV show about making a superhero movie, and it’s all just a bunch of morons running the show and you get to laugh.
He also said that the show’s ensemble was another gift he “couldn’t be more grateful for.” Magnussen then added,
It’s all about people, because a lot of this industry takes itself too seriously, and this show reminds me that you can have fun and laugh at yourself and that’s what we did.
Honestly, everything from the trailer to its similarity with Tropic Thunder to Magnussen’s words has us thrilled for the upcoming comedy series. Although, only time will tell if it’s worth the hype or not.
The Franchise will be released on Max on October 06, 2024.
