The Franchise

Premise

Depicts a behind-the-scenes look at a film that's part of a larger superhero film franchise. The series follows Daniel, the first assistant director (1st AD), as he deals with the day to day problems working on Tecto: Eye of the Storm, which is a minor film in the franchise compared to the higher priority "team-up" film, Centurios 2.

Cast

Main

Himesh Patel as Daniel Kumar, the overworked first assistant director who juggles the film's chaotic demands, trying to keep the project on track while secretly caring more about the superhero genre than he admits

Aya Cash as Anita, the ambitious new producer and Daniel's ex, focused on using the project as a springboard to more prestigious films, often clashing with Daniel's earnestness

Jessica Hynes as Steph, a British script supervisor and staunch supporter of the director's "vision," even when it leads to absurdity on set

Billy Magnussen as Adam Randolph, Tecto's self-conscious lead actor, whose eccentric fitness regimens and insecurities clash with his superhero persona

Lolly Adefope as Dagmara "Dag" Nwaeze, the sharp-witted third assistant director, who sees through the industry's pretensions and frequently delivers biting commentary

Darren Goldstein as Pat Shannon, a brash studio executive who enforces studio interests, often derailing the production with last-minute directives

Isaac Powell as Bryson, the frazzled go-between for the studio head Shane, tasked with conveying outlandish directives to the set

Richard E. Grant as Peter Fairchild, a seasoned British actor playing "Eye," bringing both disdain and theatrical flair to his role

Daniel Brühl as Eric Bouchard, the highbrow director with an inflated ego and endless tweaks, unfit for the blockbuster studio system

Recurring

Justin Edwards as Rufus Maley, a featured extra

Ruaridh Mollica as Jaz Cox, the production's PA

George Fouracres as Dave, the VFX artist

Guest

Urs Rechn as Horst Sommer

Alex Gaumond as Justin Barrett, the original producer

Katherine Waterston as Quinn Walker, the actress playing the Lilac Ghost

Nick Kroll as Kyle, the actor playing the Gurgler who has a past with Adam

Production

Development

It was announced in August 2022 that HBO had greenlit a pilot for the series from Armando Iannucci, who would write the pilot alongside Keith Akushie and Jon Brown, with Sam Mendes set to direct, who also conceived of the idea of the series. In August 2023, it was ordered to series. The series premiere on HBO on October 6, 2024. In January 2025, HBO canceled the series after one season.

Casting

In December 2022, Billy Magnussen, Jessica Hynes, Darren Goldstein, Lolly Adefope and Isaac Cole Powell were cast in main roles, with Richard E. Grant and Daniel Brühl set to recur. In August 2023, Himesh Patel and Aya Cash were cast as series regulars.

Filming

Production on the pilot was completed before July 14, 2023, with filming suspended until the conclusion of the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. Filming for the first season commenced on February 26, 2024, with a planned three month production, at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in Leavesden, Hertfordshire, England.

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, The Franchise has an approval rating of 74% based on 54 reviews, with an average rating of 7/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Teeming with superb actors having a ball playing hapless hacks, The Franchise pulls some of its punches against Hollywood malaise but overall makes for a tart treat." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 67 out of 100 based on 29 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.

Airing

The show premiered on HBO on October 6, 2024, and later on Sky Comedy in the UK on October 21, 2024. The series is also available to stream on HBO Max.