The HBO original series The Idol, which will be launched on June 5, simultaneously in the United States in the Warner Pass on Prime Video Channels, had a high-profile presentation on the Croisette, where its first two episodes were screened Monday May 22.
Produced in partnership with studio A24 (Everything Everywhere All at Once, Euphoria), the series is co-created by Sam Levinson (Euphoria), Abel Tesfaye (The Weeknd) and Reza Fahim. It follows Jocelyn (Lily-Rose Depp), determined to reclaim her title as America's hottest and sexiest pop star, after a final tour tainted by a nervous breakdown. Tedros (Abel Tesfaye), a nightclub owner with a troubled past, rekindles the flame within her.
Before making its way to Cannes, this HBO (Warner Bros. Discovery) series was the subject of several controversies. According to Rolling Stone magazine, the production notably suffered numerous delays and rewrites. Upheavals caused, according to the article, by the director of Euphoria, Sam Levinson, who took over the camera during the project. This is not the first time that a series has been screened at Cannes. This was the case with two series by Olivier Assayas, Carlos (Film en Stock for Canal+) in 2010 and Irma Vep (produced by A24 for HBO) in 2022.