The following contains spoilers for The Franchise season 1 episode 1, "Scene 31A: Tecto Meets Eye," now streaming on MaxThe Franchise's use of two Marvel Cinematic Universe veterans highlights some of the entertainment industry satire at the heart of the show. The Franchise pokes fun at the current state of Hollywood by focusing on a silly version of a big-budget film shoot. The show primarily follows Daniel, the 1st Assistant Director on the superhero film Tecto: Eye of the Storm, and all the chaos that ensues as a result of the talent, his co-workers, and the studio reps. The Franchise's cast of characters are full of entertainment satire archetypes, filtered through Jon Brown, Armando Iannucci and Sam Mendes' sense of style.
Given the subject matter, The Franchise features plenty of sly jokes and subtle references to other long-running film series' like the MCU. This even extends to the cast on the show, which includes two actors who have previously brought compelling performances to the superhero universe. It helps add a layer of comedy to the show's parody of the superhero eco-sytem in Hollywood, and contributes to the comedy's commentary on blockbusters.
Richard E. Grant's New Loki Mocks The Original's Glorious Purpose In The Franchise
Richard E. Grant Went From Loki To The Eye
Richard E. Grant's role in The Franchise looks to be a fun satirical poke at the kind of character Grant brought fresh depth to in the MCU. In The Franchise, Grant plays the experienced thespian Peter, who quickly reveals himself to be a foul-mouthed and over-confident actor. The "blowhard actor" is a well-trodden comedy archetype in industry parodies like The Franchise, and Grant brings a coarse relish to the role. Part of the joke in "Scene 31A: Tecto Meets Eye" stems from Peter's confusion over his big arch villain and the impracticality of blockbuster scale world-building.
Cast and Character Guide For The Franchise | |
|---|---|
Character | Actor |
Daniel | Himesh Patel |
Anita | Aya Cash |
Adam | Billy Magnussen |
Eric | Daniel Brühl |
Peter | Richard E. Grant |
Steph | Jessica Hynes |
The ridiculous nature of Grant playing a somewhat goofy looking Loki analog known as the Eye is extra funny after remembering that Grant has found gravitas with the character The Franchise seems to be parodying. Grant appeared in Loki season 1 as a variant of the title character who lived a solitary but long life as a coward. His appearance in the show was short but carried genuine pathos and served as an important comparison point to Tom Hiddleston's version of the character. Grant has shown superhero characters can have thematic weight, even as The Franchise mocks their bizarre nature.
Daniel Brühl's Artistic Director In The Franchise Is Looking For Meaning In Superheroes
Daniel Brühl's Eric Is A Highlight Of The Franchise
Daniel Brühl's Eric is one of the comic highlights of The Franchise. Eric is an artistically-minded but short-sighted prima-donna. While on the surface level he's a silly riff on clichés about directors, his lack of awareness about the realities of production make him some of The Franchise's more cutting satire. The character is floundering at one point as a filmmaker and only snaps back in when Daniel is able to remind him he had previously found some thematic elements to latch onto. However, his plans are hijacked by The Franchise's overarching studio plan, killing a key element of the story.
Daniel Brühl finding depth in something as surface-level silly as the "fish people" has a subtle parallel in the MCU.
Daniel Brühl finding depth in something as surface-level silly as the "fish people" has a subtle parallel in the MCU. Daniel Brühl has played Helmut Zemo in two MCU projects, Captain America: Civil War and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Brühl's version of the character is a deceptively tragic figure, driven by grief-filled fury to bring down an Avengers system that he sees as inherently broken. Brühl's performance has brought real complexity to a compelling villain, something The Franchise can poke fun at by having his character find a lesson about frakking in his jackhammer superhero movie.
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9/10
The Franchise
The Franchise is a Max original comedy television series that follows a film crew as they document their increasingly chaotic and hectic work on a Superhero film franchise. Acting as a satire on the industry, the show looks to lampoon the process and the sometimes unreasonable expectations of keeping a long-standing franchise alive and kicking.
- Cast
- Billy Magnussen , Jessica Hynes , Darren Goldstein , Lolly Adefope , Isaac Powell , Daniel Brühl , Richard E. Grant
- Release Date
- October 6, 2024
- Seasons
- 1
- Streaming Service(s)
- Max
- Writers
- Jon Brown , Sam Mendes , Armando Iannucci
- Directors
- Sam Mendes
- Showrunner
- Jon Brown
