HBO has released a brand new trailer for The Sympathizer, a new black comedy-drama from Oldboy director Park Chan-wook – and let's just say that Robert Downey Jr. wears many hats.
In the trailer, which can be viewed above, we see a North Vietnam spy known simply as the Captain (Hoa Xuande) recount his years of espionage to what we can assume are South Vietnam officials. The series, an adaptation of Viet Thanh's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name, follows the Captain during the final days of the Vietnam War and his resulting exile in the United States.
Downey Jr. appears several times throughout the trailer...as several different characters. Though the names of the characters have not been released, we know RDJ is playing several antagonists that the Captain encounters along the way. Chan-wook previously told The Hollywood Reporter that the actor frequently improvised dialogue for his various characters, and that he opted to shave his head rather than put on a bald cap in order to make the transition between characters easier.
The cast includes Fred Nguyen Khan, Toan Le, Duy Nguyen, Vy LE, Alan Trong, Ky Duyen, Kieu Chinh, Marine Delterme, Scott Ly, Kayli Tran, VyVy Nguyen, and Sandra Oh. Chan-wook and Don McKellar (Blindness) serve as co-showrunners. Much like Euphoria, the series is produced by A24 in partnership with HBO.
The Sympathizer is set to hit Max on April 14, 2024. For more, check out our list of the best new TV shows coming your way in 2024 and beyond.
