Ironman Out, New Role Awaits RDJ in HBO’s The Sympathizer

Get ready for Robert Downey Jr in his new role for the HBO-ordered adaptation of The Sympathizer.

Downey is reported to be on the antagonistic side, as the TV series will venture through the themes of political dogma, immigrant communities and the Americanization of the Vietnamese War.

The Pulitzer-winning novel The Sympathizer was author Viet Thanh Nguyen’s debut novel, as he captured his own conflict with admiring films like Platoon and Apocalypse Now, that unfortunately had the slaughter of Vietnamese people depicted.

This duality is even reflected in The Sympathizer’s protagonist, an unnamed North Vietnamese mole, who later becomes an expat in Los Angeles’ South Vietnamese community.

In such, the protagonist seeks to narrate both sides of the Vietnamese war, and much often includes mundane experiences to humanise politics.

As of yet, the actor for the lead role is yet being scouted. The lead along with the ensemble cast will look for Vietnamese representation on screen.

Downey, as co-star, will be starring opposite the lead, but even his character is yet undisclosed.

According to some speculation, this may include Downey taking on several antagonistic roles from the movie, such as a CIA agent, Hollywood film director and Orange County congressman.

This will be Downey’s first role after putting his Ironman armour to rest. After upholding the superhero’s banner for over 10 years, it is indeed time for Downey to explore new roles and show off his acting prowess

Taking the reins as director will be Park Chan-wook (famously known for his movie Old Boy) and Don McKellar. A24 and Rhombus Media will be in charge of development.
Team Downey’s Susan Downey and Amanda Burrell will be joining the executive producer’s gang.

Many other details like estimated release date, number of episodes, etc are still in the dark. But with a beacon like Robert Downey Jr, it won’t take long for this project to kick off.

About The Sympathizer

An HBO TV series adaptation of The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen is in development by A24 and Rhombus Media. Robert Downey Jr. will co-star as the antagonist, while Park Chan-wook and Don McKellar will join as directors.

Following the plot of the novel, the TV series will be about a North Vietnamese mole, who eventually becomes an expat in Los Angeles’ South Vietnamese community.

Source: Deadline