The Weeknd’s controversial HBO series ‘The Idol’ confirms release date with new trailer

The Weeknd’s controversial upcoming HBO series, The Idol has confirmed its release date with a new teaser trailer.

Co-created by The Weeknd, his longtime collaborator Reza Fahim and Euphoria creator Sam Levinson, the show will premier on June 4 on HBO.

HBO has dubbed the show “the sleaziest love story in all of Hollywood,” as it follows the storyline of a pop singer becoming romantically involved with an LA club owner and cult leader.

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Starring as the main characters are The Weeknd himself and Lily-Rose Depp along with other cast members Dan Levy, Rachel Sennott, Moses Sumney, and Jennie of BLACKPINK.

The Idol will first be seen at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival under the Official Selection Out of Competition banner.

Recently, The Idol was criticised by Rolling Stone describing the show as “torture porn” and that it had gone “wildly, disgustingly off the rails”.

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This investigation detailed accounts from 13 members of the show’s cast and crew finding that the “drastic delay” to the air date was due to Levinson rewriting and shooting the entire show.

In response to Rolling Stone’s exposé, The Weeknd posted a clip from the TV show on Twitter where he can be heard calling the magazine “irrelevant” with the caption: “Did we upset you?”

Watch the new trailer for The Idol below.

Becky Buckle is Mixmag's Multimedia Editor, follow her on Twitter