HBO has decided not to renew ‘The Franchise,’ a superhero movie satire from creator and executive producer Jon Brown, alongside executive producers Sam Mendes and Armando Iannucci.
“We’re so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with the tremendously talented team behind ‘The Franchise,’ especially Sam Mendes, Jon Brown, Armando Iannucci, and this hilarious ensemble of actors,” an HBO spokesperson said in a statement to Deadline. “While we won’t be moving forward with another season, we look forward to collaborating with all of them in the future.”
The decision, announced just over a month after the Season 1 finale aired on November 24, is not entirely surprising. While ‘The Franchise’ received good reviews, earning a 74% score on Rotten Tomatoes, it failed to crack Nielsen’s Top 10 streaming rankings.
The eight-episode Season 1 of ‘The Franchise’ follows the crew of an unloved franchise movie fighting for their place in a savage and unruly cinematic universe. Per the official logline, the series shines a light on the secret chaos inside the world of superhero moviemaking, to ask the question — how exactly does the cinematic sausage get made? Because every f*ck-up has an origin story.
Himesh Patel, Aya Cash, Jessica Hynes, Billy Magnussen, Lolly Adefope, Darren Goldstein and Isaac Powell starred in ‘The Franchise,’ with Richard E. Grant and Daniel Brühl among the recurring cast.
Brown executive produced alongside Iannucci, via his Dundee Productions banner, and Mendes, via his All3Media-backed production company Neal Street Productions. Oscar winner Mendes, who hatched the idea, directed the pilot. Pippa Harris, Nicolas Brown and Julie Pastor also executive produced for Neal Street.
