David Fincher’s HBO Comedy Stops Production

The future of David Fincher‘s HBO comedy Video Synchronicity is looking a little fuzzy.

Production on the 1980s music video comedy was stopped abruptly early Thursday, with the cast sent home and told producers hoped to know more about the future of the show Monday, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. A source close to the project indicated that the show was likely not dead, but may undergo some script touch-ups and use the time to catch up on scripts.

HBO declined comment.

Picked up to series May 4, the comedy has completed production on four episodes, with sources noting that HBO was expected to review them before determining the next steps. 

Related Stories

TV

'Succession' Star Kieran Culkin Explains Why Roman Roy Doesn't Seem to Understand Chairs

TV

2023 Series Mania: Four Key Takeaways

Set in 1983 Los Angeles, Video Synchronicity (working title, previously Living on Video) centers on Robby (Charlie Rowe), a wide-eyed guy who drops out of college and drives to Hollywood with dreams of directing a sci-fi epic. He lands a job as a production assistant for a company that makes music videos.

Said to be along the lines of HBO’s Entourage, the comedy revolves around the players of the then-exploding music video industry — directors, record executives and crew members, many of them who dabble in drugs — as told through the eyes of a newcomer named Robby.

See more 40 Years of HBO

The series has already undergone recasting, with Red Band Society breakout Rowe having replaced The Killing‘s Tyler Ross as the lead in the comedy, which filmed two episodes rather than shoot a traditional pilot.

As with every Fincher project, details are being kept under wraps but the cast is said to include Sam Page (reteaming with Fincher after a recurring role on House of Cards), Jason Flemyng, Kerry Condon, Elizabeth Lail, Corbin Bernsen and Paz Vega.

Fincher, a two-time Grammy winner for best music video (The Rolling Stones’ “Love Is Strong” and Justin Timberlake and Jay-Z’s “Suit & Tie”), will direct and exec produce. Based on an idea from Fincher, he’ll write alongside Bob Stephenson and Rich Wilkes (xXx). Michael Lehmann and Marcos Siega are on board as co-exec producers.

Email: Lesley.Goldberg@THR.com
Twitter: @Snoodit