The Franchise Cast Talks Biggest Filming Misconceptions & More On The Red Carpet

The Max original comedy television series, The Franchise, 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.

The Franchise boasts an all-star cast including Himesh Patel, Billy Magnussen, Aya Cash, Daniel Brühl, and Richard E. Grant. The creators also have noteworthy resumes. Jon Brown is known for his work on Succession, Armando Iannucci is the creator of Veep, and Sam Mendes wrote 1917. The Franchise premieres on HBO Max on October 6, with new episodes releasing weekly.

Screen Rant interviewed Aya Cash, Himesh Patel, Billy Magnussen, Lolly Adefope, and Jessica Hynes during the red carpet premiere of The Franchise. They confess it was a bit confusing filming a set on a set, not knowing who were the background extras and who were the actual PAs. The stars also reveal what they believe to be the biggest misconceptions of movie making. Aya Cash talks about returning to The Boys‘ Stormfront, while Billy Magnussen explains why viewers should give the live-action Lilo & Stitch a chance.

The Franchise’s Himesh Patel Is Excited For Fans To See How Hard Crews Work

“Anything that we make for the screen has a crew like this, and they never get seen, because that’s not their job.”

Screen Rant: What are you most excited for people to see in The Franchise?

Himesh Patel: I’m excited for them to see the crew of a movie or a TV show. Anything that we make for the screen has a crew like this, and they never get seen, because that’s not their job. I’m thrilled to be bringing a show out that does that. That puts them on the screen.

Source: Screen Rant Plus

Aya Cash Compares The Boys & The Franchise

“They are both pointing at the same sort of critique, which is fun.”

Screen Rant: How would you compare The Boys and The Franchise, seeing as they are both parodies?

Aya Cash: The Boys is like the NC17 version of parody and a lot more violent than we are. I think we have a little bit of a lighter touch, but they are both pointing at the same sort of critique, which is fun.

Source: Screen Rant Plus

The Franchise’s Billy Magnussen Thinks We Should Learn To Laugh At Ourselves Again

“Life is the humor, and it’s OK to laugh at yourself.”

Screen Rant: What do you hope people get from The Franchise?

Billy Magnussen: I hope they see a glimmer of people trying hard in themselves. And we can laugh at ourselves again. That’s the whole point. I think we really have forgotten how to laugh at ourselves. Instead of making fun of people, sometimes the thing we are in is the humor. Life is the humor, and it’s OK to laugh at yourself.

Source: Screen Rant Plus

The Franchise’s Lolly Adefope Admits Making TV & Movies Is Not As Glitzy As People Think

“It is a lot of playing jigsaw puzzles in the green room.”

Screen Rant: What do you think is one of the biggest misconceptions of making big-budget blockbuster films?

Lolly Adefope: People don’t realize it is a lot of monotony. A lot of waiting around. It’s not as glitzy as people might think. It’s definitely still exciting, but it is a lot of playing jigsaw puzzles in the green room, which is really rock ‘n roll.

Source: Screen Rant Plus

Jessica Hynes Was Mistaken For Actual Crew On The Franchise Set

“I take it as a compliment,” the actor jokes.

Screen Rant: What is it like filming on a set of a set?

Jessica Hynes: I play crew, obviously, so I get mistaken for crew all the time, which I quite enjoy. So I take it as a compliment.

Source: Screen Rant Plus

More About The Franchise Season 1

The crew of an unloved franchise movie fight for their place in a savage and unruly cinematic universe. The series 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 f*ck-up has an origin story.

Check out our other The Franchise interviews here:

The Franchise premieres on HBO Max on October 6.