The latest trailer for HBO‘s The Idol has landed, and now, we finally know when the controversial series will premiere.
Created by The Weeknd — aka Abel Tesfaye — as well as Reza Fahim (The Weeknd’s producing partner) and Euphoria creator Sam Levinson, The Idol follows a female pop singer as she becomes romantically intertwined with a Los Angeles club owner who also happens to be a cult leader.
Leading the series is Lily-Rose Depp, daughter of Johnny Depp and French singer Vanessa Paradis. Meanwhile, The Weeknd will be taking on the other lead role, marking his first major acting gig. Previously, he had done some voice acting, and had a cameo Uncut Gems as himself.
Recently, the series has been at the centre of a lot of controversy, after Rolling Stone published a scathing exposé on the show’s troubled production.
One crew member told the publication, “It was like any rape fantasy that any toxic man would have in the show—and then the woman comes back for more because it makes her music better.”
Still, HBO is set to premiere The Idol at the Cannes Film Festival next month, so here’s everything we know so far.
Related: The Tease of Controversy: Why I’m Waiting With Bated Breath for ‘The Idol’ to Premiere
Related: The Weeknd Is Taking on Television With ‘Euphoria’ Creator Sam Levinson
What Is The Idol About?
The offical logline for The Idol is as follows: “A self-help guru and leader of a modern-day cult develops a complicated relationship with an up-and-coming pop idol in this music industry drama series starring Lily-Rose Depp.”
Is There a Trailer for The Idol?
There is! You can watch it right here.
Who Is Starring In The Idol?
Starring in The Idol will be Lily-Rose Depp and The Weeknd himself, but the cast is absolutely stacked with big names, particularly from the music industry.
The Idol will also feature Australian icon Troye Sivan, TV on the Radio’s Tunde Adebimpe, and BLACKPINK’s Jennie Kim — who is credited in the second trailer as ‘Jennie Ruby Jane’ — to name a few.
View this post on Instagram
The role will be Kim’s acting debut, and according to IMDB, she’s in all six episodes of the limited series.
“I found the script very intriguing, so I wanted to be part of the series,” Kim told Korean news agency Yonhap, per Deadline. “I feel very excited. I’ll work hard, so please watch me with affection.”
Filling out the supporting roles in the case will be Jane Adams, Dan Levy, Suzanna Son, Moses Sumney, Eli Roth, Rachel Sennott, Da’vine Joy Randolph, Mike Dean, Ramsey, Anne Heche, Melanie Liburd, Steve Zissis, Elizabeth Berkley Lauren, Hari Nef, Nico Hiraga and Hank Azaria.
Is Britney Spears Going to Be In The Idol?
… Possibly??? This is kind of a wild ride.
Last November, Britney Spears posted to Instagram that she “just shot a movie titled ‘THE IDOL’,” writing that it was “guaranteed to have hits and a lot bright pics to put in my beautiful family’s faces !!!!!”
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Fans immediately connected Spears with the HBO project, despite it being a series, rather than a film. Adding fuel to the fire was The Idol‘s co-creator Reza Fahim, who liked and retweeted a Rolling Stone article reporting on Spears’ Instagram.
‘The Idol’ co-creator, Reza Fahim, just retweeted this. Do you think Britney Spears could make an appearance in the series? https://t.co/Dwuy2PilTb
— The Idol Updates (@theidolupdates) November 24, 2021
Still, TMZ debunked the theory and declared it false, and that seemed to be that. Or was it?
In May 2022, Spears posted a now-deleted photo of her with The Weeknd and Sam Levinson.
Britney Spears met up with The Weeknd and #Euphoria creator Sam Levinson. pic.twitter.com/fAFGljc56X
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) May 25, 2022
But as the series inches closer and closer to its premiere, we still don’t really know what’s going on here.
Spears is heavily referenced in the latest trailer for the series, with her hit song “Gimme More” playing throughout. But at the end of the trailer, we hear a different song that interpolates Donna Summer’s “Love to Love You Baby”, which has led some fans to speculate that Spears is the one singing the song.
is that…… pic.twitter.com/mwXjM8LY6b
— j (@beysupdates) April 17, 2023
Back in November of 2022, the infamous celebrity gossip Instagram account DeuxMoi posted that Spears had recorded a track called “Idle Love” for the series, but this has not been confirmed.
In November 2022, insider Deux Moi reported that Britney Spears and The Weeknd have a collaboration in the works that would be featured on the soundtrack of "The Idol". The Song is written by The Weeknd & Spears and is produced by Max Martin, a long-time collaborator of Spears'. pic.twitter.com/ShMyQrFHs9
— JustinBeats 🌹🚀 (@mashupsbyjustin) April 17, 2023
Watch this space…
When Will The Idol Premiere In Australia?
The Idol will premiere in Australia on Monday, June 5. It will be taking Succession‘s spot in the HBO lineup.
Where Can I Watch The Idol In Australia?
The Idol will be available to stream on BINGE every Monday from June 5, 2023.
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