Euphoria fans, listen up. A new HBO Max series is on the way in the form of The Idol and everyone is talking about it.
The dark, hard-hitting series tackles a world of sex, drugs and fame, following the story of a pop singer who becomes intertwined with an LA club owner and cult leader, with the trailer teasing the show as "the sleaziest love story in all of Hollywood".
The Idol is Euphoria creator Sam Levinson's latest venture, and he's teamed up with popstar The Weeknd (real name, Abel Tesfaye) who stars alongside Lily-Rose Depp and Troye Sivan. It's promising to be big news!
So, from the trailer to cast and first reviews, here is everything there is to know about The Idol so far...
What are people saying about The Idol so far?
The Idol debuted at Cannes Film Festival on 22nd May with stars The Weeknd, Lily-Rose Depp, Troye Sivan and Jennie Kim all in attendance at the premiere.
It received a five-minute long standing ovation at the festival but less than a day later, the programme had an average score of only 10 percent on review site Rotten Tomatoes. Yikes!
There have been lots of poorly rated reviews, with The Hollywood Reporter describing it as "the stuff of a toxic man’s fantasy" and Variety saying "The Idol plays like a sordid male fantasy." We're sure there will be even more to say when the series airs!
What is The Idol's release date?
In the UK, the series will be streaming weekly on Sky Atlantic and NOW from 5th June, a day after the US. Exciting! The release date was announced alongside a new teaser trailer:
Is there a trailer for The Idol?
There is indeed! HBO dropped the first official teaser on 17th July 2022, including our first look at The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp in action, with clips teasing some hard-hitting drug use, sex scenes and intense dance rehearsals. Have a watch here:
What is The Idol about?
The story follows a pop singer (Lily-Rose Depp) as she finds herself starting a relationship with an LA club owner and cult leader, played by The Weeknd. The official synopsis reads, "After a nervous breakdown derailed Jocelyn’s (Lily-Rose Depp) last tour, she’s determined to claim her rightful status as the greatest and sexiest pop star in America.
"Her passions are reignited by Tedros (The Weeknd), a nightclub impresario with a sordid past. Will her romantic awakening take her to glorious new heights or the deepest and darkest depths of her soul?”
Who's starring in The Idol?
There are plenty of big names lined up for this one! Of course, The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp take the lead. Australian singer, actor and YouTuber Troye Sivan is also starring, alongside Disney channel favourite Debby Ryan. Dan Levy also appears in the teaser trailer.
Producers have also teased a role for BLACKPINK singer Jennie Kim, with fans beyond excited to see the pop star take to the screen in her acting debut. Plus, Euphoria's Alexa Demie will also make a cameo in the season, according to multiple reports, which also confirms speculation that The Idol and Euphoria exists in the same world.
Alongside a teaser trailer, the wider cast was announced:
- Suzanna Son
- Moses Sumney
- Jane Adams
- Dan Levy
- Eli Roth
- Rachel Sennott
- Hari Nef
- Da'vine Joy Randolph
- Mike Dean
- Ramsey
- Hank Azaria
How to watch The Idol in the UK
The Idol is coming to HBO Max in the US. In the UK, the series will be available on Sky Atlantic and NOW (like other HBO shows have been in the past) on 5th June.
