Welp, HBO has taken The Franchise—its plucky little comedy about the messy world of superhero moviemaking—and snapped it in half like a discount action figure. After a mere eight episodes, the network has officially canceled the series, proving once again that not all superheroes wear capes…and apparently, not all TV shows get a second chance.
Starring a motley crew of talent—Himesh Patel, Aya Cash, Jessica Hynes, Billy Magnussen, Lolly Adefope, Darren Goldstein, and Isaac Powell—the show gave viewers a peek behind the scenes of a superhero movie franchise that no one really asked for (both in the fictional universe and, well, reality). It aimed to reveal the absurd, chaotic sausage-making process of cinematic universes. But alas, it seems even sausage jokes couldn’t save it from the chopping block.
In a move that feels as heartfelt as breaking up via text, HBO issued a statement about the cancellation:
“We’re super (get it?) grateful for the ridiculously talented team behind The Franchise, especially Sam Mendes, Jon Brown, Armando Iannucci, and our amazing cast,” an HBO spokesperson told Deadline. “While we won’t be continuing with another season, we’re looking forward to working with them again in the future.”
Translation? “We love you, but we’re seeing other shows now. It’s not you, it’s us. Actually, it’s the ratings.”
Fans of the show (and by “fans,” we mean the small yet passionate niche audience that caught it between re-watching Succession) are left wondering what could have been. Will they ever know how the cinematic sausage was truly made? Probably not. But hey, maybe one day The Franchise will find new life as a cult classic—or at least a question on a very niche pub quiz.
Until then, we’ll pour one out for The Franchise, the little superhero satire that couldn’t.
