The Idol, HBO’s highly anticipated and controversial new drama, has been given a release date and provocative new trailer.
The latest gritty drama from Euphoria creator Sam Levinson stars Lily-Rose Depp as troubled popstar Jocelyn who falls prey to sordid cult leader Tedros (The Weeknd).
On Monday (17 April), HBO released a new trailer for the show, along with the news that The Idol will be released on HBO in the US on 4 June at 9pm. The series will also be available to stream on Max, Warner Bros’ new service which launches on 23 May.
The new trailer opens with Jocelyn taking part in an a risqué photoshoot, while the character played by singer Troye Sivan asks: “When was the last truly-f***ing-nasty, nasty, bad pop-girl?”
Jocelyn is then whisked away to a club, where she meets Tedros for the first time. The two dance together, before the trailer transitions to scenes of their developing relationship.
“I ain’t seen no s*** like this since the Nineties,” one character says, while others echo concerns that Jocelyn has been “brainwashed”.
Last month, Rolling Stone published a report citing 13 anonymous production sources who described The Idol’s chaotic set conditions as a “s*** show”.
Following the anonymous allegations that Levinson turned the show into “torture porn” and alleged that the set’s environment was poorly managed, the director once again found himself at the centre of scrutiny.
Find a timeline of controversies surrounding the Euphoria screenwriter here.
Depp defended Levinson, saying in a statement: “Sam is, for so many reasons, the best director I have ever worked with. Never have I felt more supported or respected in a creative space, my input and opinions more valued.
“Working with Sam is a true collaboration in every way – it matters to him, more than anything, not only what his actors think about the work, but how we feel performing it. He hires people whose work he esteems and has always created an environment in which I felt seen, heard, and appreciated.”
The Weeknd later brushed off the allegations on Instagram, asking: “Rolling Stone did we upset you?”
The Idol premieres on HBO and Max on 4 June at 9pm in the US and is expected on Sky and NOW in the UK on the same month.
