As fans anxiously await the next season of Euphoria, a new show by Sam Levinson will be coming to HBO later this year which may tide them over. Abel Tesfaye, better known by his stage name – The Weeknd. and Lily Rose-Depp will star in The Idol, with its first trailer teasing the tone and promiscuity audiences have come to expect from Levinson's television work. No firm release date is set, though a fall release is most likely with HBO confirming it will arrive this year.
The Idol looks to be a mix of Euphoria and fellow HBO series The Deuce, which hailed from David Simon and George Pelecanos. Maggie Gyllenhaal led the latter series, and The Idol looks to be pulling back the curtain on the music industry much in the same vein of what The Deuce did for the pornography industry. The Weeknd and Reza Fahim are co-creators on the series with Levinson. While there's always a twinge of worry as musicians/singers make the jump from the stage to the camera, The Weeknd did appear in a small role as himself opposite Adam Sandler in Uncut Gems.
This trailer doesn't give much away in terms of story, though HBO has said "the series will focus on a self-help guru and leader of a modern-day cult who enters into a complicated relationship with a rising pop idol." Presumably, The Weeknd will be portraying the cult leader with Rose-Depp taking on the role of the pop star. Based on the teaser, particularly a quick shot of a billboard for the recent Apple TV+ film Cha Cha Real Smooth (which may or may not make the final cut), a present-day setting is likely.
Co-stars on The Idol include fellow pop sensation Troye Sivan, Debby Ryan, Rachel Sennott, Steve Zissis, and Melanie Liburd. Just as they do with Euphoria, A24 is producing the show alongside Bron Creative, Little Lamb, and HBO. Amy Seimetz (The Killing, Alien: Covenant) was initially set as the director for all six episodes, though she dropped out earlier this year over creative changes. Levinson stepped in to direct the series once Seimetz stepped away. Production recently wrapped following extensive reshoots and casting changes.
The Weeknd is currently on his After Hours til Dawn Tour, and he premiered the trailer at his performance this weekend at MetLife Stadium. HBO is continuing to ride high off the success of Euphoria (which just nabbed several Primetime Emmy nominations), and The Idol looks to give that same demographic another project to enjoy.
Check out the trailer for The Idol below, and stay tuned to Collider for more news on its release.