A new sexy pop star drama series is set to premiere on HBO soon. According to The Hollywood Reporter, HBO released the trailer and premiere date of their controversial new show The Idol. The show’s trailer was released before its debut at the Cannes Film Festival where the show is set to premiere. 

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the show, which has been labeled as “torture porn” by production insiders, was produced by Sam Levinson (Euphoria, Deep Water), Abel Tesfaye aka The Weeknd, and newcomer Reza Fahim. 

It seems the show has been through several creative obstacles to get made. New claims made by a Rolling Stone report alleged that the show went “wildly, disgustingly off the rails” and was a “shitshow” after the series’ original director, Amy Seimetz (The Girlfriend Experience, She Dies Tomorrow), was changed and Levinson took her place. This is when claims that the show’s story took a turn towards “rape fantasy… torture porn” and became more sexually “disturbing,” and less feminist than it began. This has led to the character of Jocelyn accepting the abusive Tedros to improve her music. 

The cast of the show includes Lily-Rose Depp (The King, Silent Night) as Jocelyn, a pop star whose music career is going through a rough time; The Weeknd (The Simpsons) as Tedros, a nightclub manager with a shameful past; Suzanna Son (Red Rocket, Secret Escort) as Chloe; Troye Sivan (Three Months, Boy Erased) as Caleb, and Moses Sumney (Creed, Random Acts of Flyness) as Izaak.

The show also stars Dan Levy (Schitt’s Creek, Happiest Season); Da’Vine Joy Randolph (A Little White Lie, Only Murders in the Building); Eli Roth (Clown, Rock of Ages), Hari Nef (Meet Cute, You), Jane Adams (She Dies Tomorrow, Sick); newcomer Mike Dean; Rachel Sennott (Bodies Bodies Bodies, Call Your Mother); newcomer Ramsey, and Hank Azaria (The Simpsons, Hello Tomorrow!) in unknown roles. 

The Idol follows Jocelyn, a singer whose career gets derailed after a nervous breakdown prevents her from finishing her last tour. Jocelyn is determined to claim her status as the greatest and sexiest pop star in the United States. Her passion gets renewed when she meets Tedros. She now must question whether this new romantic connection is going to take her to glorious new heights or the deepest and darkest depths of her soul. 

The Idol will premiere at Cannes next month and will be available to stream on HBO and Max on June 4. Don’t forget to watch the trailer below.