The Weeknd’s HBO Show Undergoing Huge Changes

The Idol, the HBO series The Weeknd and Euphoria creator Sam Levinson are developing, is undergoing several changes, putting the project’s future in jeopardy. On Monday, the network announced plans to “evolve” the creative vision behind the show, which led to director Amy Seimetz leaving. Suzanna Son, who earned critical acclaim for her performance in last year’s Red Rocket, also left the project, which began shooting months ago.

The series is about a female pop star who begins a romance with a strange Los Angeles club owner who leads a secret cult. It will make The Weeknd‘s first major on-screen acting role, following his performance as himself in Uncut Gems. Lily-Rose Depp was also cast in her first lead television role. The Weeknd, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, planned to co-write and executive produce the show, which he co-created with Levinson and Reza Fahim. Joseph Epstein was the original showrunner, and Mary Laws collaborated on the scripts with The Weeknd.

“The Idol‘s creative team continues to build, refine, and evolve their vision for the show, and they have aligned on a new creative direction. The production will be adjusting its cast and crew accordingly to best serve this new approach to the series. We look forward to sharing more information soon,” an HBO spokeswoman told Deadline. HBO said the project is not being scrapped, but this complete overhaul is unusual at this late stage.

The overhaul led to subsequent changes on Tuesday and Wednesday. First, Seimetz, who co-created The Girlfriend Experience, is leaving, reports Deadline. She was hired to direct all episodes of the first season, but Levinson is now expected to direct most episodes. Seimetx also directed episodes of Atlanta and Outer Range.

Next, Son left, Deadline reported Wednesday. Sources told the site The Weeknd thought The Idol was leaning too far into a “female perspective” at the expense of his lead character. According to Deadline, Depp is still involved and remains a “key part” of the creative overhaul. It’s also unclear if the first season of The Idol will still run seven episodes, as HBO ordered last year. HBO has not commented on the situation beyond Monday’s statement.

Although The Weeknd has no major acting experience, his music videos are known for their cinematic style and connecting stories. His latest album, Dawn FM, was accompanied by an Amazon Prime Video television special, The Dawn FM Experience, which included live performances mixed with performance art. The Weeknd made his acting debut by playing himself in Uncut Gems. He also has an Oscar nomination for co-writing the Fifty Shades of Grey song “Earned It.”