HBO Is Making DC And Marvel Parody Show With Succession Writer
Despite the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strike, which has shut down most television and film productions, HBO has ordered a new comedy series. Per Coming Soon, the show is titled The Franchise, and functions as a satire piece mocking major superhero franchises such as the Marvel and DC cinematic universes. Emmy Award winner Jon Brown is attached to write and serve as the series showrunner.
HBO is putting together a satire series taking aim at Marvel, and Warner Bros. Discovery’s own superhero franchise, DC.
Brown currently holds over a dozen screenwriting credits on a number of hit series, most notably with HBO flagship shows such as Succession, Veep, and Avenue 5. Armando Iannucci, who served as creator and showrunner for both Veep and Avenue 5, is also set to executive produce The Franchise alongside Pippa Harris, Nicolas Brown, Jim Kleverweis, and Julie Pastor. Oscar Award-winning director Sam Mendes is set to executive produce as well as being attached to direct the pilot episode.
Most details about The Franchise are currently being kept under wraps through the early stages of development, though the series has been given an official description. The satire is set to center on a crew of a highly underrated movie set within an expansive cinematic universe as they traverse the chaos secretly brewing beneath the surface of superhero moviemaking. The series offers the tagline, “Every f*ck-up has an origin story.”
The Franchise is said to be a half-hour comedy series starring Himesh Patel and Aya Cash in the roles of Daniel and Anita, respectively. Patel is perhaps best known for his appearances in Avenue 5, Tenet, and Don’t Look Up, while Aya Cash is better known for her other appearance in a superhero satire series, starring as Stormfront in Amazon Prime Video’s The Boys. The series will also star Billy Magnussen, Darren Goldstein, Isaac Powell, Jessica Hynes, and Lolly Adefope, with slated guest appearances from Daniel Brühl and Richard E. Grant.
Aya Cash, Stormfront from The Boys, is one of the leads of The Franchise.
Though HBO executives seem very keen on promoting The Franchise for their upcoming slate of original programming, the ongoing strikes from both the WGA and SAG-AFTRA don’t seem to be letting up any time soon. Obviously, fans would be well advised to temper their expectations accordingly, as it may be a long time before the series becomes fully realized on the small screen.
Given that the studios that comprise the AMPTP continue to attempt to sweep the negative press from the ongoing strikes under the rug, it seems odd that they’re continuing to announce new shows for their services such as The Franchise. Moves like this seem to be causing a number of consumers to question just what exactly the endgame of the AMPTP is as they continually refuse to come back to the negotiating table with union representatives.
It will take awhile for The Franchise to even enter production due to Hollywood strikes, but superhero fatigue might be even worse by then.
Regardless of the real-world ramifications of The Franchise‘s production, the series sounds like a refreshing breath of fresh air after audiences around the globe seem to be struggling with superhero fatigue. A look into the lives of the real people who make these massive blockbusters possible could serve as a perfect go-between for fans of Marvel and DC movies which have become overwhelmed by the sheer size and volume of films and series endlessly added to their growing catalogs.
