HBO Orders The Weeknd’s Drama Series

HBO has greenlit the new series The Idol, co-created by Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye, Sam Levinson (Euphoria) and Reza Fahim.

The Idol centers on a self-help guru and leader of a modern-day cult who develops a complicated relationship with an up-and-coming pop idol. Tesfaye and Lily-Rose Depp are set to star.

Amy Seimetz (The Girlfriend Experience, Atlanta, She Dies Tomorrow, Sun Don’t Shine) will direct all six episodes and serve as an executive producer alongside Levinson, Tesfaye, Fahim, Joe Epstein, Kevin Turen, Ashley Levinson, Nick Hall, Sara E. White and BRON’s Aaron Gilbert. The series is executive produced by A24.

Francesca Orsi, executive VP of HBO programming, said: “When the multi-talented Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye, Reza Fahim and Sam Levinson brought us The Idol, it was clear their subversive, revelatory take on the cult of the music industry was unlike anything HBO had ever done before. Shortly after, the brilliant duo of Joe Epstein and Amy Seimetz joined forces with the rest of the team, and this dream became a reality.”