JP PARIENTE/SIPA/Shutterstock
Is HBO’s ’The Idol’ Returning for Season 2? Inside The Weeknd Cancelation Rumors
After all of *those* controversial sex scenes went viral on social media, viewers are now wondering if HBO’s The Idol, starring The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp, is getting a season 2.
Keep reading to find out whether The Idol is coming back for a second season.
What Is ‘The Idol’ HBO Show About?
The HBO drama series focuses on the rising pop star, Jocelyn (Lily-Rose), who suffers from a nervous breakdown that results in her tour getting canceled. She then forms a bond with self-help guru and contemporary cult leader Tedros (The Weeknd), who welcomes her into a different lifestyle as she tries to climb the ladder of fame.
Is ‘The Idol’ Coming Back for Season 2?
Shortly after the series premiered in June 2023, Page Six reported that the show would not continue into a second season.
“This was never meant to be a long-running show, it was always … a limited series,” a source told the outlet at the time.
However, other rumors swirled around The Weeknd’s behavior on set, with a separate source from the production telling the outlet the music artist was “egomaniacal” and that it was “not an ideal experience” working with the “Blinding Lights” singer.
In response to Life & Style‘s request for comment, HBO noted via a tweet, “It is being misreported that a decision on a second season of The Idol has been determined. It has not, and we look forward to sharing the next episode with you Sunday night.”
Why Is ‘The Idol’ TV Series Controversial?
Even before The Idol was released, HBO viewers called out the sexually explicit and uncomfortable scenes involving Lily-Rose’s character. After episode 1 premiered, social media users put The Weeknd on blast for a scene featuring him telling Lily-Rose’s character to “stretch that tiny little p—sy” while she was blindfolded.
While speaking with GQ about the controversial moment, the “Save Your Tears” artist noted that “there’s nothing sexy” about the scene.
“When we use Basic Instinct as a reference, we’re using [director Paul] Verhoeven. Verhoeven is the king of ‘90s satire thriller,” he said. “Yes, there’s moments of ‘sexy’ in his films but there are other moments that are very cheesy and hilarious. How ever you’re feeling watching that scene, whether it’s discomfort, or you feel gross, or you feel embarrassed for the characters, it’s all those emotions adding up to, ‘This guy is in way over his head, this situation is one where he is not supposed to be here.’”
Previously, The Weeknd explained that he and cocreator Sam Levinson — who also created Euphoria — “initially wanted to make a dark, twisted fairy tale with the music industry and everything [they] know about it and heighten it and take inspirations from films that both [he] and Sam love,” according to Deadline.
“It was really our love for music,” he continued. “When I found out how much Sam is involved in the music in Euphoria and getting to work with him on the music on the show, that’s when it unlocked it for us. Can we create our own pop star? Can we create somebody who is trying to find themselves, using my experiences, using his experiences, using Lily’s experiences on creating something special, daring and exciting and fun that will make people laugh, piss some people off?”
