With director Sam Mendes

Armando Iannucci is teaming up with Sam Mendes to make a comedy series about the making of superhero blockbusters.

American cable network HBO has ordered a pilot of their joint venture The Franchise, about a film crew trapped inside the ‘dysfunctional, nonsensical, joyous hellscape of franchise superhero movie-making’.

Writers are Marina Hyde, known for her satirical newspaper column in The Guardian; Keith Akushie, who created the  Charlotte Ritchie and Tom Stourton sitcom Siblings; and Dead Pixels creator Jon Brown, who will be the showrunner.

Brown and Akushie previously worked with Iannucci on his sci-fi comedy Avenue 5,  starring Hugh Laurie, which is reportedly coming to an end with its upcoming second season.

The Franchise will be the first American TV series to be made by Oscar-winner  Mendes, who is known for American Beauty, Skyfall and Spectre.

Hollywood website Deadline reports that the show was his idea, and Iannucci helped come up with the pilot story. Both are executive producers on the project.

Published: 8 Aug 2022