Robert Downey Jr., the iconic actor known for his role as Tony Stark in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is making a new move into television! On Wednesday, HBO released The Sympathizer trailer, a new series starring and executive produced by Downey. The trailer gave us a glimpse of Downey playing multiple characters, each representing a different arm of the American establishment.
The Sympathizer will be led by Hoa Xunude, who viewers might recognize from Cowboy Bebop, portraying the Captain, a spy for North Vietnam who’s embedded in the refugee community in Los Angeles. Caught between his conflicting loyalties, he’ll ultimately have to decide what it means to sympathize. The cast also includes Fred Nguyen Khan as Bon, Toan Le as The General, Vy Le as Lana, and Alan Trong as Sonny. The Sympathizer is based on the 2015 novel of the same name by Viet Thanh Nguyen and is described as a cross-culture satire about the struggles of a half-French, half-Vietnamese communist spy during the final days of the Vietnam War and his resulting exile in the United States.
The television adaptation of The Sympathizer is a co-production between HBO, A24, and Rhombus Media in association with Cinetic Media and Moho Film. Chan-wook will direct The Sympathizer adaptation and executive produce alongside Downey, McKellar, Kim Ly, Rhombus Media’s Niv Fichman, and Team Downey’s Amanda Burrell and Susan Downey. “Adapting Mr. Nguyen’s important and masterful work requires a visionary team. With Director Park at the helm, I expect this to be a creative producing adventure for Susan, me, and Team Downey, and a stimulating process for myself in playing these complex supporting roles,” Downey said in a statement.
“A24 and HBO are the perfect combinations of partners and co-parents… It’s exactly the type of challenge I’ve been craving, and I believe we will deliver an exceptional viewing experience to our audience.” This won’t be the first time that Team Downey has brought a critically-acclaimed adaptation to the small screen, as they recently brought the adaptation of Sweet Tooth to Netflix. Downey is currently one of the executive producers of The Sympathizer but also taking on multiple acting roles in the show. This will be Downey’s latest acting credit after his last performance as Tony Stark in Avengers: Endgame, and after starring in Dolittle.
“I had an incredible 10-year run with Marvel which pushed me creatively. I now have tons more ambition to do things I haven’t done before. Evolving is key — the worst thing you can do is get in your own way,” Downey said in a 2020 interview. “Just in the matter of me wanting to be a fit father, husband, and citizen, it’d be irresponsible of me to not keep my eye ahead so I can prepare my mind for what’s to come and the transition.” The Sympathizer will be making its debut on HBO in 2024 and is definitely a series to keep an eye out for.
With such an all-star cast and crew, it’s sure to be a hit with viewers who love a great satire and a fresh new take on the Vietnam War era. Have you watched The Sympathizer trailer yet? Let us know in the comments!
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter for more content.
Also Watch:
