Struggle, spy video games, political intrigue, social commentary, and loads of Seventies fashion — all wrapped up into one thrilling restricted sequence.
In July 2021, HBO introduced it had ordered The Sympathizer as a sequence, with Park Chan-wook and Don McKellar signed on as co-showrunners.
The Sympathizer relies on Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel a couple of communist spy in the course of the Vietnam Struggle and his eventual life in america.
In 2021, Nguyen introduced his novel was optioned by manufacturing studio A24. Robert Downey Jr. quickly joined as a producer and costar.
The Sympathizer will likely be government produced and directed by filmmaker Park Chan-wook, who additionally labored on Snowpiercer, Oldboy, and The Little Drummer Lady.
Different administrators for the present embrace Brazilian director Fernando Meirelles, identified for Metropolis of God, and English director Marc Munden, identified for Utopia and Nationwide Treasure.
Notable writers for The Sympathizer embrace Mark Richard (The Man within the Excessive Fortress and Concern the Strolling Useless), playwright Naomi Iizuka (Tokyo Vice), and Meagan Houang (Shogun).
The Sympathizer Launch Date
The Sympathizer will premiere on HBO on Sunday, April 14, at 9:00 pm EST. It’s going to even be accessible for streaming on Max.
The Sympathizer Episodes
The restricted sequence will include seven episodes launched weekly this spring. Following the premiere, every subsequent episode will come out on Sunday night.
The finale will air on Sunday, Could 26, slightly below the wire to be thought-about for Emmy eligibility.
And we do count on The Sympathizer to be an Emmy contender.
The Sympathizer Trailer
A teaser trailer for The Sympathizer dropped manner again in April 2023 by Warner Bros. Discovery throughout its announcement of its new streaming service Max.
The trailer opens with a journalist interviewing the Captain, performed by Xoa Xuande, backed by intense music and flashes of dramatic Vietnam Struggle scenes.
We’re additionally handled to fast glimpses of the acquainted and beloved Sandra Oh and an nearly unrecognizable Robert Downey Jr.
The trailer highlights the present’s predominant plot and builds pressure with clips addressing the political local weather of the Vietnam Struggle and the post-war period. It ends with a have a look at the opposite actors in the primary forged.
Extra not too long ago, HBO launched a second trailer in February.
This trailer exhibits us Sandra Oh and Robert Downey Jr. within the opening seconds — main names which are an enormous draw for the present.
The primary half of this trailer is a bit more light-hearted, with groovy 70s music and witty dialogue. Then the tone modifications, and we’re thrust once more into the intense world of espionage.
We see our predominant character, the Captain, going through suspicion and scrutiny as he adjusts to life as a spy within the post-Vietnam-era United States.
We additionally see Robert Downey Jr. taking part in a number of characters and sporting outlandish costumes, hair (or lack thereof), and make-up.
Aspect word: We heard Downey Jr. even shaved his head to make it simpler to get right into a bald cap for these roles. Now that is dedication!
The Sympathizer Plot
The Sympathizer is described as “an espionage thriller and cross-culture satire,” so it is positive to maintain us on the sting of our seats.
The restricted sequence will observe the story of the Captain, a North Vietnam communist despatched to spy on the South Vietnam military. He is half-French and half-Vietnamese and is torn between his loyalty to North Vietnam and his camaraderie with the South Vietnamese troopers.
Following the autumn of Saigon, the Captain flees to Los Angeles, the place he continues to behave as a mole for North Vietnam, reporting again to the Viet Cong.
Nevertheless, whereas in America, he makes pals and has affairs that problem his sense of responsibility. Regardless of not being in Vietnam, the Captain is compelled to proceed residing a double life.
The present will discover the Captain’s struggles to stay loyal to the Viet Cong whereas settling into a brand new life amongst the South Vietnamese refugees within the US.
The Sympathizer Forged
The casting director for The Sympathizer carried out a world casting name to make sure the primary forged members had been principally of Vietnamese descent.
Xoa Xuande stars because the Captain, supported by a forged together with Fred Nguyen, Toan Le, and Duy Nguyen. Xuande is thought for his function as Lin within the live-action Cowboy Bebop sequence.
Vy Le and Alan Trong spherical out the primary forged, whereas Robert Downey Jr., who additionally produces, will star in varied, primarily improvised roles.
Apart from Xuande and Downey Jr., the primary forged contains unknown actors chosen for his or her Vietnamese heritage.
Recurring forged members embrace Sandra Oh, Ky Duyen, and Kieu Chinh.
The notable names like Robert Downey Jr. and Sandra Oh will certainly herald viewers, whereas the comparatively unknown Vietnamese forged will add authenticity to the story.
The place Can I Watch The Sympathizer?
With bestselling supply materials, a famend director, and a forged that mixes acquainted actors with recent faces, The Sympathizer is predicted to be an prompt success.
You’ll be able to watch episodes of The Sympathizer as they air on HBO beginning April 14 and persevering with every Sunday night till Could 26.
Episodes can even be accessible to stream on Max.
Shela Ward is a senior employees author for TV Fanatic. You’ll be able to follow her on X.
