HBO’s upcoming comedy The Franchise explores the chaotic, often absurd world of superhero movie production. Created by Jon Brown (Succession), Armando Iannucci (Veep), and directed by Sam Mendes (1917), the series is a biting satire that reveals the unpredictable behind-the-scenes drama of making blockbuster films for franchises like Marvel and DC.
In one striking scene from the show, a fictional superhero movie director continues to shoot scenes while studio executives secretly film a different version of the same movie elsewhere, rendering the director’s work useless. While this sounds like a far-fetched scenario, the creators of The Franchise discovered during their research that such chaotic situations are not uncommon. In fact, they learned that big-budget superhero films often operate with multiple versions of scripts and changing creative directions, leaving filmmakers scrambling to keep up with last-minute decisions.
Brown and Iannucci spoke to numerous insiders from the industry, and their findings were startling. Despite the perception that superhero films are meticulously planned years in advance, they discovered a world of chaos and last-minute rewrites. Brown shares that sometimes, new script pages are handed out to the cast from a limo on the morning of filming. Studios frequently juggle several script versions, piecing together scenes on the spot with little cohesion. The series reflects the absurdity of this process, often toning down real-life anecdotes because, as Brown notes, “Sometimes reality is too absurd for television.”
The Origin of The Franchise
The idea for The Franchise was born during a lunch meeting between Mendes and Iannucci in London. Mendes, fresh off directing two James Bond films, recounted the challenges and absurdities he faced on set. The chaotic decision-making process in blockbuster filmmaking fascinated Iannucci, who saw the potential for a workplace comedy. As Mendes described it, directing franchise films often feels like steering a massive, unstoppable machine. Decisions are made on a whim, and sometimes directors are simply passengers along for the ride.
The two quickly realized that the most relevant genre to satirize was the superhero film industry, which dominates Hollywood. In the UK, Iannucci joked, every actor has spent months in a small green room pretending to fight aliens. With Jon Brown on board as showrunner, HBO greenlit the project.
Capturing the Madness
The Franchise follows the making of Tecto, a fictional superhero movie about a hero who can cause earthquakes. The show’s cast includes Billy Magnussen as an insecure leading man, Richard E. Grant as a pretentious British actor, Daniel Brühl as a frustrated visionary director, and Aya Cash as an ambitious producer. The series centers on Himesh Patel’s character, the beleaguered first assistant director Daniel, who tries to manage the chaos on set while dealing with an overeager assistant played by Lolly Adefope.
What sets The Franchise apart is its focus on the often-overlooked crew members who keep productions running smoothly but receive little public recognition. As Mendes explains, the heart of the show lies with the assistant directors, production assistants, and script supervisors who work tirelessly behind the scenes. Rather than portraying the crew as incompetent or bumbling, The Franchise highlights how skilled professionals are often trapped in a dysfunctional system that prevents them from doing their best work.
The Satirical Studio Head
Darren Goldstein plays Pat Shannon, the studio executive overseeing Tecto, who declares that “franchise fatigue” is not real and is merely a scam. While Pat may remind viewers of Marvel’s Kevin Feige, Brown emphasizes that the character is not based on Feige, who insiders describe as an incredibly nice person. However, Feige’s hands-on approach to Marvel films does raise questions about whether putting so much creative power in one person’s hands is part of the reason for the franchise’s recent struggles. With so many decisions funneled through one individual, it’s easy to understand how the weight of overseeing an entire cinematic universe could become overwhelming.
Brown reflects on his own experience juggling eight episodes of a television show and imagines the pressure Feige faces running an empire of interconnected movies and shows, all while being scrutinized for box office numbers, Rotten Tomatoes scores, and audience engagement.
The Franchise’s “Woman Problem” Episode
One of the standout episodes in The Franchise tackles the superhero genre’s struggle with gender representation. The fictional studio grapples with having too few female superheroes, a challenge Marvel and DC have also faced. The show humorously portrays how studios attempt to address these issues mid-production by hastily adding a female character, complete with a powerful weapon, which predictably sparks online outrage from fans. This storyline highlights the broader cultural push-and-pull within franchise filmmaking, where attempts to correct past shortcomings sometimes backfire, leading to backlash from certain segments of the audience.
Brown notes that such efforts often place actors, like Captain Marvel star Brie Larson, in a difficult position. Larson and other actresses face the challenge of portraying characters created decades ago, only to receive death threats from angry fans simply for bringing modern-day humanity to those roles.
A Crisis in the Superhero Genre
While some might argue that The Franchise is arriving after the peak of superhero dominance in Hollywood, Brown believes the timing is perfect. Since the release of Avengers: Endgame in 2019, superhero films have been facing a box office slump and an identity crisis. The characters in The Franchise reflect this uncertainty, constantly second-guessing their choices as they face budget constraints and panic from studio executives.
Brown draws a parallel between The Franchise and The Sopranos, noting that both shows explore a “dying way of life.” Superhero movies, once unstoppable at the box office, are now experiencing a decline, making the timing of this satirical workplace comedy particularly relevant. The series also offers a more relatable take on Hollywood productions by focusing on ordinary crew members caught in the relentless machine of superhero filmmaking.
The Multiverse of Production Chaos
The level of indecision on superhero film sets is staggering. Brown shares how studios sometimes shoot scenes multiple times — with and without actors, against various backdrops, or in front of a green screen — to leave themselves endless options for postproduction. This method creates a multiverse of footage that can be stitched together in post, avoiding the need to commit to a single creative direction during filming.
The most extreme example of this indecision was Warner Bros.’ decision to shelve Batgirl entirely for a tax credit, despite having finished principal photography. Iannucci, who is from Glasgow where parts of Batgirl were shot, describes the cancellation as heartbreaking for both the filmmakers and the local community that took pride in the production.
A Satire with Heart
Despite its biting critique of the superhero industrial complex, The Franchise is not a cynical show. Mendes emphasizes that there’s a sense of romance and hope that underpins the series. While the characters are trapped in a dysfunctional system, everyone involved in making these films is genuinely trying to do their best. Brown adds that while superhero movies may seem formulaic to audiences, the people working on them are passionate and committed to creating something special.
Ultimately, The Franchise is not about saving superhero films but offering a sharp, witty, and often hilarious take on the chaotic world behind them. The series captures the balance between the absurdity of big-budget filmmaking and the hope that drives those who work within the system, even as they acknowledge that the golden days of superhero cinema may be fading.