Production on Sam Levinson’s Weeknd-Starring ‘Idol’ Series Called Costly ‘Sh*tshow’ in New Report
HBO
The Weeknd Reportedly Became Less Hands-On With ‘The Idol’ After His HBO Show Had A Major Change In Direction
In a new piece from Rolling Stone, anonymous members of the cast and crew of Sam Levinson and The Weeknd’s forthcoming HBO show, The Idol, opened up about the reportedly toxic work environment that spiraled out of control.
The Weeknd (Abel Tesfaye) both starred and co-created the show. However, it was originally set to be directed by Amy Seimetz before she left the show — and Levinson (Euphoria) took over in her place. This is reportedly when the chaos started, resulting in an overhaul of Seimetz’s direction and shoots.
“It was like the Weeknd wanted one show that was all about him — Sam was on board with that,” a source shared. However, they also faced alleged difficulty with Tesfaye’s schedule as a musician, causing him to be less hands-on: “It was really frustrating because they were working so hard to make it possible to shoot and be released with his concert or whatever his timeline was [and] it all got thrown out the window.”
The piece goes on to note that three crew members claim that despite Tesfaye’s writing credits on the series, he didn’t contribute much to scripts during the reshoots.
Last April, there was also a Deadline report that Tesfaye felt the show was focusing too much on his co-star, Lily Rose-Depp, as he thought it had too much of a “female perspective.”
HBO’s “Succession” To End After Upcoming Season 4
The fantastically dark, funny, and opulence-driven TV show that got a theme song remix from Pusha T is sadly coming to an end. Recently, series creator and show runner Jesse Armstrong revealed that the upcoming fourth season of HBO’s “Succession” will be the show’s last. Moreover, he spoke in an interview with The New Yorker about the decision, which ET confirmed with HBO. Furthermore, Armstrong spoke on discussing the idea with writers and cast members ahead of their decision. From what he revealed in this interview, it seems he wants the show to end on a high note.
“There’s a promise in the title of ‘Succession,’” the series head explained, adding that he first pitched its fourth season being its last around November or December of 2021. “I’ve never thought this could go on forever. The end has always been kind of present in my mind. From season 2, I’ve been trying to think: Is it the next one, or the one after that, or is it the one after that?” Furthermore, he asked the writing team if short seasons, a long-running and more free-flowing format, or just ending at its peak would be best. While he chose the latter option, the show runner still feels conflicted about it. In fact, he didn’t “definitively close off the possibility of that happening this season — at least until it got weird to not say ‘OK, I think this really is it.’”
“Succession” Closing Out Strong With Season 4
For what it’s worth, he also said that HBO was open to more seasons but trusted him with the decision. “So I do feel conflicted about that,” he continued. “And I feel sad, and I have the-circus-has-left-town feeling that everyone gets who works on a production that’s good, and this one particularly so. I imagine I’ll be a little bit lonely, and wandering the streets of London in a funk, and wondering, ‘What the f**k did I do?’ I’ll probably be calling you up in about six months asking if people are ready for a reboot.” “Succession” follows the Roy family, owners and descendants of a large media conglomerate, and explores themes of wealth, power, trauma, and of course family.
Meanwhile, its cast members also entrusted Armstrong with the wisdom and expertise to determine the show’s future. “As a fan of the show, I would like to see more,” said actor Kieran Culkin when addressing rumors of season four being the final run. “I would like to see two more seasons.” However, actor Brian Cox brought Armstrong’s personal decision into the fold a bit more explicitly. “If he decides there’s more to be got out of it, then we’ll do a fifth season. I don’t think we’ll do much more than that.” The award-winning and culturally gigantic “Succession” will enter its fourth season starting Sunday, March 26th at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HBO. For more of the biggest TV and entertainment news, stick around on HNHH to see what becomes of the Roys.
Lily-Rose Depp On Working With The Weeknd For “The Idol”
Lily-Rose Depp discussed her upcoming role in HBO’s The Idol during a new cover story for i-D. In the piece, Depp discussed starring alongside The Weeknd, who plays her love interest on the show. She says that the singer helped her feel “so empowered” on set.
“Talk about trust and comfort. I had to go to a lot of really vulnerable places in the show. Abel was the best partner that I could have ever asked for. He has my back and I have his,” Depp told the outlet. “I just felt so free and liberated, so empowered.”
Lily-Rose Depp For “i-D”
As for her role, she explained that Jocelyn was the role of her dreams. “I’ve dreamt of roles like this for forever. I just don’t think that you could give an actress a greater gift than a role like this,” Depp said. “This has been the most meaningful and important project that I’ve ever done, and the thing that I’m the proudest of. I don’t know where to begin. Jocelyn is the most wonderfully complex character. She’s so fascinating. A mystery. After a year of living with that character, I’m still obsessed with her. I just want to keep digging deeper.”
Depp also explained that The Idol was a learning experience for her. “I was gaining so much from just being present in the moment, even in between takes or when they’re changing the camera setup. Just watching our DPs set up these shots and the lighting. I gained so much from really having my eyes open,” she said. Elsewhere in the interview, she discussed growing up as the daughter of celebrities, something she says gives her imposter syndrome.
In addition to Depp and The Weeknd, The Idol stars Jane Adams, Hank Azaria, Hari Nef, Dan Levy, Troye Sivan, and Jennie of K-Pop supergroup Blackpink. The Weeknd is credited as a creator alongside Reza Fahim and Euphoria’s Sam Levinson. The show doesn’t have an official release date but is scheduled to hit HBO at some point in 2023. Check out the second official teaser trailer for The Idol below.
“The Idol” Trailer
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The Weeknd Drops The Epic Trailer For HBO’s “Live At SoFi Stadium”
The Weeknd released his last studio album, Dawn FM at the beginning of 2022. The album became another major seller, which he quickly followed up with a tour. It was easily one of the most exciting shows of the year, and The Weeknd undoubtedly made up for the lack of touring due to the pandemic. He not only performed music from his latest album but he also delivered live renditions of a few cuts off of After Hours.
The After Hours Til Dawn tour undoubtedly earned some big bucks. According to reports, he raked in $30M from the first four shows alone. However, there were a few hiccups along the way, including a postponed show at Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium. “I don’t know what just happened, but I just lost my voice,” he told fans early in the set before promising to reschedule. “I don’t want to stop the show but I can’t give you the concert.” Fortunately, he kept his promise and returned in late November.
The Weeknd Delivers An Epic Performance for Live At SoFi Stadium
For those that couldn’t attend any of the shows, The Weeknd and HBO made sure fans didn’t miss out. The Weeknd shared the trailer for Live At SoFi Stadium, directed by Micah Bickham, debuting on HBOMax on Feb. 25th. The snippet reveals footage from The Weeknd’s final shows on the After House Til Dawn tour in Los Angeles and provides fans with a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse into his concert. The Swedish House Mafia-produced “Sacrifice” plays throughout the trailer.
The Weeknd’s relationship with HBO is undoubtedly producing some excellent content for his fans. This week, HBO confirmed a release for the highly-anticipated show, The Idol, co-created by The Weeknd and Euphoria creator Sam Levinson. The show is due out in June, though neither The Weeknd or Levinson have provided a concrete date. Still, many fans are excited to see the forthcoming series starring BLACKPINK’s Jennie, Lily-Rose Depp, and Troye Sivan. We’ll keep you posted on more updates on the show. For now, check out the trailer for The Weeknd’s Live At The SoFi Stadium above.
The Weeknd Turns SoFi Stadium Into A Haunted House In The New Trailer For His HBO Special
Fans of The Weeknd already had their eyes trained on HBO in anticipation of his The Idol series, but the multifaceted artist is double-dipping with HBO in 2023. One week ago, he announced that The Weeknd: Live At SoFi Stadium will premiere on HBO and HBO Max on February 25.
This morning, February 9, The Weeknd shared the extravagant trailer for the concert special:
2.25.23 @HBO @hbomax pic.twitter.com/3xfjRyFeTx
— The Weeknd (@theweeknd) February 9, 2023
The one-minute clip begins with the spookier aspects of The Weeknd’s After Hours Til Dawn Tour at the forefront. As it unfolds, we see The Weeknd in his performative element and launching into his Dawn FM track “Sacrifice.”
According to Variety, The Weeknd: Live At SoFi Stadium was directed by Micah Bickham, and the Weeknd served as one of several executive producers. The special boasts a 95-minute run time and “was recorded in Los Angeles at the concluding dates of the Weeknd’s 2022 After Hours Til Dawn Tour North American stadium tour.”
In early September, The Weeknd’s SoFi tour stop abruptly ended when he lost his voice:
#TheWeeknd loses his voice at the start of his 2nd #AfterHoursTilDawnTour in LA
We hope he has a speedy recovery
pic.twitter.com/wYc6zXrxYN
— 102.7 KIIS FM (@1027KIISFM) September 4, 2022
— The Weeknd (@theweeknd) September 4, 2022
The Weeknd resumed the After Hours Til Dawn Tour later that month and made up his SoFi dates on November 26-27. He didn’t waste any time announcing an international second leg:
The After Hours Til Dawn Tour will resume later this year. See the dates here, and watch The Weeknd’s North American recap below.
The Weeknd Announces HBO Max Concert Special ‘Live at SoFi Stadium’
‘The Last of Us’ is Second-Largest Debut for HBO, Trails ‘House of the Dragon’
The Last of Us is already a TV sensation. HBO’s new series, an adaptation of the insanely popular video game, has become the second-biggest debut for the premium network in the last thirteen years. The show’s debut only follows House of the Dragon.
According to Variety, The Last of Us‘ first episode pulled in 4.7 million U.S. viewers across the linear HBO channel and the streaming service HBO Max. It is the second-largest opening for an HBO show since 2010’s Boardwalk Empire.
The Last of Us premiere has topped performances from HBO staples like Euphoria, Chornobyl, Westworld, Game of Thrones, and True Detective.
“We are thrilled to see fans of the series and game alike experience this iconic story in a new way, and we extend our gratitude to them for helping to make it a success,” Casey Bloys, chairman and CEO of HBO & HBO Max Content, said. “Congratulations to Craig, Neil and the brilliant cast and crew who worked tirelessly to bring this show to life. We look forward to fans around the world enjoying the rest of the season.”
According to HBO: The Last of Us takes place 20 years after modern civilization has been destroyed. Joel, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal, heartbreaking journey, as they both must traverse the U.S. and depend on each other for survival.
New episodes arrive on Sundays at 9 p.m. on HBO and HBO Max.
The post ‘The Last of Us’ is Second-Largest Debut for HBO, Trails ‘House of the Dragon’ appeared first on The Source.
SZA Labels Lizzo Her “Fave” During HBO Special
SZA praised Lizzo as one of her favorite artists during the HBO Max special, Lizzo: Live in Concert. The remark comes after SZA teased a collaboration on the deluxe version of her recent album, SOS.
“This is my fucking fave,” SZA said on the program. “Make some noise for my fucking fave, Lizzo.”
“This is unreal,” she added. “Thank you so much for even just being my friend. I love you, you’re special.”
SZA and one of her producers, Rob Bisel, previously discussed working with Lizzo during a recent interview with Rolling Stone.
“There’s definitely a handful [of tracks with Lizzo]. I don’t want to incriminate myself here, but there’s some stuff floating around for sure,” Bisel revealed of the deluxe edition of SOS.
SZA added: “We just have so much fun together. And I feel like she gets me. She’s another person who has hella music tastes and doesn’t fit in anybody’s box of anything. She makes it seem like she doesn’t even care like she just does whatever she wants. And I just love being with her, just as a friend and hanging out. So whenever she comes to a studio, I just feel like, ‘Let’s drop into some bullshit.’”
SZA released SOS, last month, as her first studio album since 2017’s Ctrl. After release, she revealed Lizzo actually makes a subtle appearance on the song, “F2F.” She’s also credited with co-writing the track.
SZA has said that Lizzo appears on her song, “The Boy From South Detroit,” which is likely to land on the deluxe version of SOS.
Check out a trailer for Lizzo’s HBO Max special below.
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