When the nights grow longer and the world gets darker, we need something to lift our spirits – the televisual equivalent of a hot chocolate (possibly with a marshmallow and a squirt of cream for good measure). Thank goodness, then, for The Franchise, which is coming for our funny bones later this month.

Directed by Sam Mendes, created by Jon Brown and executive produced by The Thick Of It’s Armando Iannucci, the series is rammed to bursting with comedy stars as it takes aim at a certain cinematic universe that’s filled with superheroes…

Watch the trailer for The Franchise below:

Sold? Of course you are! Here’s what you need to know…

What is The Franchise about?

Much as The Thick Of It shone a spotlight on the chaotic cogs and wheels of our government, The Franchise imagines life behind the scenes of a big-budget blockbuster.

“The series follows the crew of an unloved franchise movie fighting for their place in a savage and unruly cinematic universe,” promises the official synopsis.

“The comedy 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 fuck-up has an origin story…”

Who stars in The Franchise?

It’s an all-star cast of familiar favourites for The Franchise, with Lolly Adefope as Dag, Himesh Patel as Daniel, Aya Cash as Anita and Jessica Hynes as Steph.

Billy Magnussen, Darren Goldstein, Isaac Powell, Richard E Grant and Daniel Brühl round off the credits nicely.

What are people saying about The Franchise?

Speaking about the series with ScreenRant, Mendes says it will resonate with both movie insiders and the general audience.

“I think an audience decides very quickly whether they’re in or they’re out depending on whether they are interested in the people at the centre of the story, and I think what [writer Jon Brown has] done is create characters with dimension,” he says.

“You’re intrigued as to their motives, their inner worlds, and also whether they’re going to succeed. There’s an element of racing against the clock in all this, which I think is a kind of engine that drives the story forward. Are they going to make the movie? Is it going to be any good? Are they going to complete it? Is it going to be a catastrophe? Or might it be, as they all hope, something miraculous that they pull out of the bag at the last minute? You just don’t know.”

When can we watch The Franchise?

The Franchise premieres Monday 21 October 2024 on Sky and NOW with the first three episodes, followed by weekly releases.

Images: Sky