HBO has decided not to move forward with a second season of The Franchise, the superhero movie satire created and executive produced by Jon Brown, with additional 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 told Deadline in a statement. “While we won’t be moving forward with another season, we look forward to collaborating with all of them in the future.”
The decision, made slightly over a month after The Franchise wrapped its first season on November 24, doesn’t come as a shock. Showbiz-focused comedies can be a gamble, often struggling to connect with audiences. Despite favorable reviews (holding a 74% rating on Rotten Tomatoes), The Franchise didn’t break into Nielsen’s Top 10 streaming rankings.
Iannucci, who has a long-standing partnership with HBO, previously created and executive produced the critically acclaimed series Veep as well as the sci-fi comedy Avenue 5.
The first season of The Franchise consisted of eight episodes and followed the crew behind a struggling franchise movie as they navigated the chaotic and unpredictable world of superhero filmmaking. According to the official description, the series explored the “secret chaos” of creating superhero blockbusters, asking, “how exactly does the cinematic sausage get made?” It humorously asserts that “every f*ck-up has an origin story.”
The show featured an ensemble cast including Himesh Patel, Aya Cash, Jessica Hynes, Billy Magnussen, Lolly Adefope, Darren Goldstein, and Isaac Powell, with recurring appearances by Richard E. Grant and Daniel Brühl.
Brown served as executive producer alongside Iannucci through his Dundee Productions banner, and Mendes via Neal Street Productions, his All3Media-backed company. Mendes, who originated the concept, directed the pilot episode. Additional executive producers for Neal Street included Pippa Harris, Nicolas Brown, and Julie Pastor.