Just after releasing herA24filmMaterialists, writer and directorCeline Songis already lining up her next big project. The filmmaker has had an impressive start to her directorial career, with her debut feature filmPast Livesearning two Academy Award nominations for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay, and has now had a successful sophomore effort withMaterialists, which not only receivedprimarily positive reviews, but is set to have a strong opening weekend at the box office. Now, Song is moving into the world of television, as it has been announced that the filmmaker is developing a new series for HBO, teaming with an unexpected creator.
In a new press release, it has been revealed that Celine Song is developing a series set in the world of competitive esports for HBO, tentatively titledDamage. This latest project sounds like it will be a lot different from anything Song has worked on before, and will be the filmmaker’s first big foray into television, having only previously been a staff writer on the Prime Video seriesWheel of Timein 2021. What is even more interesting is the fact thatThe Last of Usand Chernobyl creator Craig Mazin will be joining Song as an Executive Producer.
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A24, which already has a licensing deal with HBO for its feature films, will be co-producing the series alongside the premium television service. It will be exciting to see Song tackle an entirely different kind of project than whatshe’s worked on before, and see how her writing evolves to fit long-form storytelling over the course of several episodes as opposed to a feature-length movie. Moreover, having Mazin join the series in a creative capacity speaks to the project’s importance to HBO, bringing a veteran television creator to assist.
Celine Song’s ‘Damage’ Is Very Different From Anything She’s Done Before
The logline forDamage,released in the official press statement, states that the series is about “a gaming prodigy who joins the ranks of a professional E-Sports team, where she’s taken under the wing of an older player with whom she shares a tragic past.” It’s a vague and intriguing plot, and one that Song was even cagey about in an interview she had done earlier in the week with Variety, in which she stated that she was working on a television series but didn’t want to divulge any information about the plot. IndieWire also confirmed through their own sources that the project is indeed moving forward at HBO.
Past LivesandMaterialistshave both proven to be strong hits for A24, cementing Song as a capable storyteller, and now seeing her tackle what seems to be another genre altogether is exciting. The two films the writer/director has made, although phenomenal, have both shared similar themes and were used to brilliantly deconstruct the romance genre. Seeing her work in the unique setting of esports and with different kinds of characters will be interesting, to say the least.
Song’s latest film,Materialists, has been praised for its examination of the rom-com genre through its provocative story and talented cast members. The movie features Dakota Johnson as Lucy, a romantic matchmaker who finds herself caught between two different prospects: her old flame, John (Chris Evans), and the wealthy and successful Harry (Pedro Pascal). Fans of her work should look forward to this next creative outing, as it will likely explore more intense themes of trauma amidst an unexpected backdrop.
