Sam Mendes is an award-winning director with a long filmography, which includes the best film in the James Bond franchise, Skyfall, among other hits. Famous as a prodigy in the theater, it never seemed to me that Mendes would be one of the names who would see something of artistic value in the wave of superheroes of the last decade. Signing on as a producer for The Franchise, the series that premiered on MAX in October 2024, only confirms the suspicion.

The series, created by Jon Brown, is not subtle in any of its reviews, it is something that Hollywood loves: content about Hollywood. As the title says, we follow the hysterical behind-the-scenes of a superhero film, with all the pressures, discussions, jealousies, insecurities, and threats that go on in the making of a big production.

It’s hard to keep up because the pace is frenetic and the jokes are inside jokes, but it’s still thrilling to watch the recordings of Tecto: Eye of the Storm. The budget cuts, ego battles, and the toxic atmosphere that is always present in almost every audiovisual recording are paraded without pause and it’s hilarious, nervous, and thrilling to watch.

With a sensational and well-connected cast, The Franchise is not about the problems themselves, but how complex it is to deal with all of this to create something of quality and how cynicism is necessary to maintain both vulnerable mental health and to be able to complete the work. There are only eight episodes, the new reality of the series (which once had 26, then 13, 10, and now averages between 8 and 6 episodes).

The one leading the circus is not the director or the producer, but Daniel (Himesh Patel), the first assistant director and the one who effectively makes everything work. The entire set is under his command, while the film’s director, Eric (Daniel Brühl), fights for the “Art” and his “Vision”, usually involving complex and expensive demands.

Watching The Franchise is to see Daniel’s talent for putting out fires, taming egos, recording and keeping not only his job, but that of everyone on the crew. It’s all very cliché, but not far from reality. A fun and intelligent satire, but one that may end up being a bit uncomfortable with what it criticizes.

Having said all that, for those who work in the audiovisual market, it’s addictive and humorous to laugh at how ridiculous the behind-the-scenes can be, but still move billions of dollars. The business crisis is what causes the drama and it’s something very real, not at all funny, to tell the truth. But seen here, it is. I would say that watching The Franchise is mandatory. And fun too!

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