The Boys' Aya Cash Tackles Her Next Superhero Satire With HBO's The Franchise Series

Aya Cash may be best known for her performances as Gretchen Cutler on "You're the Worst" and Stormfront on "The Boys," but it looks like she's about to add yet another high-profile TV series to her résumé. In case that wasn't exciting enough, her latest project is set to deliver another "Boys"-esque satirical spin on the superhero genre. Unlike "The Boys," though, which takes place in a fictional universe where superheroes are real, Cash's new show promises to focus much more on the actual role that the superhero genre has come to play in Hollywood over the past 20 years.

The TV series in question is none other than "The Franchise." According to Deadline, HBO has officially given a series order to the new half-hour comedy, which hails from "Veep" and "Avenue 5" creator Armando Iannucci, "Skyfall" director Sam Mendes, and writer Jon Brown. HBO reportedly made its decision after reviewing a pilot for "The Franchise" that was completed, notably, before the current SAG-AFRTRA strike shut down nearly all of Hollywood's productions. Despite this announcement, work also isn't expected to resume on "The Franchise" until the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes have been resolved.

Cash is set to appear as a series regular on "The Franchise," which follows the crew of an unloved franchise movie as they fight for their place in a "savage and unruly cinematic universe." According to its logline, the show will shine a "light on the secret chaos inside the world of superhero moviemaking."

Outside of its logline and creative team members, very few details have been released about "The Franchise." Aya Cash stars in it as a character named Anita, while "Station Eleven" actor Himesh Patel is also set to appear in it. The two performers round out the show's ensemble cast, which also counts Jessica Hynes, Billy Magnussen, Lolly Adefope, Darren Goldstein, and Isaac Powell among its stars. Richard E. Grant and Daniel Brühl have also been cast in recurring guest roles.

In conjunction with the series' official greenlight, Amy Gravitt, EVP of HBO Programming and Head of HBO & Max Comedy, teased the precision with which Sam Mendes, Armando Iannucci, and Jon Brown have apparently already brought the world of "The Franchise" to life. "With a deft touch only he can bring, Sam has brilliantly captured the romance and the reality of filmmaking today," Gravitt said. "Jon is superb at sending up worlds we think we already know. Together, with Armando, they have delivered a truly hilarious comedy ensemble. I can't wait to see more."

The show's pilot was directed by Mendes and written by Brown, who has signed on to serve as its showrunner. As of right now, it's unclear when "The Franchise" will premiere on HBO. Odds are, viewers will have to wait until after the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes have concluded to find out more. That said, given the current, growing conversation surrounding the superhero genre's dominance over Hollywood, it seems like "The Franchise" may be coming along at exactly the right time.