HBO's next big show starring The Boys and Ozark actors is here to mock how your favorite superhero movies are made

The cast of The Franchise
(Image credit: HBO)

The official trailer for The Franchise, a new comedy about the making of a blockbuster superhero movie, is here – and we're ready for the absolute absurdity.

In the brief clip, which can be viewed below, chaos ensues. We see everything from  poor VFX to the director being accused of sexism (though he's always "wanted to do a feminism") to an on-set brawl brewing on the day the studio is supposed to come visit.

"Is this, by any chance, Taika Waititi's biography during the filming of Thor: Love and Thunder?" one of the top comments hilariously reads.

The Franchise, created by Jon Brown, is a satirical comedy that 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, asking how exactly the cinematic sausage gets made. Every mistake has an origin story.

The cast includes Himesh Patel, Aya Cash, Jessica Hynes, Billy Magnussen, Lolly Adefope, Darren Goldstein, Isaac Cole Powell, Richard E. Grant, Daniel Bruhl, and Ruaridh Mollica.

The Franchise | Official Trailer | Max - YouTube The Franchise | Official Trailer | Max - YouTube
Watch On

Sam Mendes directs for the pilot episode, which was written by Brown. Production on the very first episode was completed before July 2023, but the SAG-AFTRA strike shut the rest of the season's production down. The show resumed filming on February 26th and wrapped after three months.

The Franchise premieres October 6 on Max. For more, check out our list of the best new TV shows coming your way in 2024 and beyond.

CATEGORIES
Lauren Milici
Senior Writer, Tv & Film

Lauren Milici is a Senior Entertainment Writer for 12DOVE currently based in the Midwest. She previously reported on breaking news for The Independent's Indy100 and created TV and film listicles for Ranker. Her work has been published in Fandom, Nerdist, Paste Magazine, Vulture, PopSugar, Fangoria, and more.

Read more
Creature Commandos episode 2 screenshot
6 new movies and shows to watch this weekend on Netflix, Prime, Disney Plus, and more (Jan 10 - 12)
Captain America: Brave New World trailer
New Captain America: Brave New World teaser gives us our best look yet at Danny Ramirez's Falcon and has everyone making the same joke
Thunderbolts
Sebastian Stan teases Marvel's Thunderbolts as he compares it to an iconic '80s teen movie
Spider-Man in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man
6 new movies and shows to watch this weekend on Netflix, Prime, Disney Plus, and more (Jan 31 - Feb 2)
Creature Commandos episode 2 screenshot
6 new movies and shows to watch this weekend on Netflix, Prime, Disney Plus, and more (Dec 13-15)
The cast of Thunderbolts
I'm more excited for Thunderbolts than Fantastic Four, and the latest Super Bowl trailer just proves why
Latest in Comedy Shows
Ronald Gladden and James Marsden in Jury Duty
This Amazon hidden gem with a near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes audience score has been renewed for season 2 – and it's already been filmed in secret
Blue Mountain State
15 years on, Reacher star Alan Ritchson reveals that a sequel series to his cult sitcom is in the works
Twisted Metal
First trailer for Twisted Metal season 2 starring Anthony Mackie teases the wildest character from the video game yet
Hilary Swank in The Next Karate Kid
Cobra Kai showrunners explain why that fan-favorite Karate Kid franchise actor didn’t show up in the final season: "Our hope is that there’s more Karate Kid stories in the future"
Cobra Kai
Ralph Macchio explains how the emotional, nostalgic ending of Cobra Kai is a perfect send-off for the franchise: "It's a big, fat, warm embrace and in a world that isn't always warm and embracing"
Cobra Kai
Cobra Kai showrunners talk that emotional finale, explain explosive ending for the Karate Kid franchise’s two biggest villains: "We thought that was the most dramatic way to go out"
Latest in News
Emily Blunt in A Quiet Place Part 2
A Quiet Place 3 is finally happening, but it'll be a while because John Krasinski is so busy: "It's hard to get him"
Atomfall screenshot
Fallout: New Vegas is a big inspiration for Atomfall, which is why you’ll be able to kill every NPC in post-apocalyptic Cumbria
Giancarlo Esposito in The Electric State
The Electric State star Giancarlo Esposito explains why adapting the bleak novel into a family friendly adventure was the right decision: "I'm going to bring my children with me"
soldiers dropping in from the sky and looking over verdansk
Warzone's original map is returning next month, but it's still not enough: "We don't just want Verdansk back. We want everything back"
Penn Badgley and Charlotte Richie in You season 5
You season 5 trailer introduces Joe's new love interest and teases familiar faces in the final installment of the Netflix thriller
Death Stranding 2
Death Stranding 2 packs on a third obvious Metal Gear Solid reference with cover art throwing back to MGS2's bizarre box art featuring Japanese pop superstar Gackt