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Nobody is doing it quite like HBO when it comes to original programming. In the last two years the premium network has delivered some monster hit seasons of television such asHouse of the Dragon,The Last of Us,Succession,The White Lotus,Barry,True Detective: Night Country, andCurb Your Enthusiasm, and their rich catalog features some iconic series likeWatchmenandChernobyl. So the idea of the master filmmakerPark Chan-wookand actor-producerRobert Downey Jr.adapting a Pulitzer-winning novel for HBOis nothing short of ecstatic.
The Sympathizer, based on the acclaimed and award-winning debut novel of the same name by Vietnamese authorViet Thanh Nguyen, is a multi-faceted look at the Vietnam War and immigrant identity, blending genres and styles into an epigrammatic thriller. If all that sounds amazing to you, here is everything we know so far aboutThe Sympathizer.
Editor’s Note: This piece was updated on June 18, 2025.
The Sympathizer
Near the end of the Vietnam War, a plant who was embedded in the South Vietnam army flees to the United States and takes up residence in a refugee community, where he continues to secretly spy and report back to the Viet Cong.
Does ‘The Sympathizer’ Have a Release Date?
The Sympathizeris set to premiere on Sunday, April 14 at 9 pm ET on HBO. This comes over a year after the release of the first teaser trailer back in April 2023. The show will air weekly on Sundays like all of HBO’s premium shows and will consist of seven episodes with the finale airing on on May 26.
Where Will ‘The Sympathizer’ Stream?
Alongside its release on HBO,The Sympathizerwill also be available to stream on the Max streaming service. The Sympathizer joins an exciting slate of programming throughout 2024 from HBO and Max, includingTrue Detective: Night Country,Curb Your EnthusiasmSeason 12, theKate Winslet-led limited seriesThe Regime,House of the DragonSeason 2,The Batmanspin-off seriesThe Penguin,Armando IannucciandSam Mendes’The Franchise, the animated DCU seriesCreature Commandos,HacksSeason 3, and theDuneprequel seriesDune: Prophecy.
Is There a Trailer for ‘The Sympathizer’?
On June 10, 2025, Warner Bros. Discoveryrevealed the first teaser trailer forThe Sympathizerat their investor meeting, where they announced their new streaming service Max. The trailer opens up with an interview with our narrator and the lead character The Captain, as he gives the interviewee an insight into the complex nature of the Vietnam War and the nature of spy work. The trailer gives us a taste of the series, its expansive plot, its many twists and turns, social commentary, black satire, political intrigue, American identity, and espionage.
The trailer also gives us our first look at the several characters Robert Downey Jr. is playing in the movie, sporting transformative make-up and over-the-top accents in each role, and showcases the different relationships he shares with The Captain. The trailer ends with giving us a good look at all the major actors in the show’s amazing cast.
On August 26, 2025,the second teaser trailer forThe Sympathizerwas unveiled by Max. The preview gives us a much better look at the plot of the series, as the main character works as a double agent and is secretly a communist spy, unbeknownst to many of the Americans that he encounters.
Max released thefull official trailer forThe Sympathizeron July 13, 2025.
What Is the Plot of ‘The Sympathizer’?
The Sympathizeris a story told from the perspective of a half-Vietnamese, half-French communist spy, who acts as a North Vietnamese mole but is also conflicted due to his sense of comradery with the South Vietnamese military. The Captain, as he’s called, escapes to America following the fall of Saigon and the massacre that follows, where a lot of people he knows closely die. Much of the story revolves around the dual identity of The Captain, and that dynamic only increases with his move to America. He continues to act as a mole for the North Vietnamese and meets a variety of interesting people and also starts a couple of affairs. He also agrees to become a consultant on an American film about the Vietnam War, clearly parodyingApocalypse NowandPlatoon, but finds the depiction of the film highly romanticized and almost dies in the making of it.
Here’s what the official synopsis of the show reads:
Based on Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name, THE SYMPATHIZER is an espionage thriller and cross-culture satire about the struggles of a half-French, half-Vietnamese communist spy during the final days of the Vietnam War and his new life as a refugee in Los Angeles, where he learns that his spying days aren’t over.
Who Is in the Cast of ‘The Sympathizer’?
The central Vietnamese cast ofThe Sympathizeris largely comprised of unknowns as the casting directorJennifer Vendittiopened a worldwide casting call in order to find suitable actors of Vietnamese descent.
Finally, actorHoa Xuande, who played the character of Lin in Netflix’s live-actionCowboy Bebopseries, landed the lead role in the series, The Captain. The rest of the series' ensemble includesFred Nguyen Khanas Bon ,Toan Leas the General,Alan Trongas Sonny,Duy Nguyễnas Man, andVy Leas Lana.
Robert Downey Jr. will also star in the series, and play multiple roles in various antagonistic capacities. The actor is known worldwide for his beloved portrayal as Tony Stark in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and he will get a chance to flex his acting muscles and play several extravagant characters, each representing different facets of America. In an interview with Collider’sSteve Weintraub, Park Chan-wooksaid the following about how Downey became attached to the project:
“Well, all the great actors are very picky, and I would think the reason why he chose this project is because he read the novel, and he liked the thoughts behind this novel and how this novel compares the Occidental values and Oriental values. And he has a great interest in telling the story of refugees and this novel tackles on the Vietnamese refugees who came to the United States after the war. So I think that was some of the reasons why he said yes to this project.”
In recurring roles areSandra Oh(Killing Eve) as Ms. Sofia Mori,Ky Duyenas Madame,Kayli Tran(Ambulance) as the Communist Spy,VyVy Nguyen(Young Sheldon) as the Major’s Wife, andKieu Chinh(The Joy Luck Club) as the Major’s Mother.
Who Is Making ‘The Sympathizer’?
Park Chan-wook is one of the most renowned filmmakers on the international stage, often considered to be one of the best of the 21st century, and has delivered timeless masterpieces likeOld BoyandThe Handmaiden. The South Korean auteur is known for his dark and stylish cinema, and having him behind this project is a dream match-up. He will serve as an executive producer on the show and also direct three episodes of it, withDon McKellar(Sensitive Skin) serving as the showrunner. Park Chan-wook has previously ventured into the English language industry a couple of times, outside his groundbreaking work in South Korean films, even winning the award for Best Director at last year’s Cannes Film Festival forDecision to Leave. He has previously directed all episodes of the BBC productionThe Little Drummer Girl, andThe Sympathizerwill be the second series in the master filmmaker’s repertoire.
The Sympathizermarks the latest collaboration between A24 and HBO after they teamed up to bring titles such asEuphoria,Irma Vep, andThe Idol. The television arm of the indie giant also produced the Emmy-winning hit seriesBeeffor Netflix.
Joining Park Chan-wook as directors on the series are celebrated Brazilian filmmakerFernando Meirelles(City of God) who will direct the fourth episode, and TV veteranMarc Munden(Utopia) who will direct the final three episodes. Robert Downey Jr. and his wifeSusan Downeyserve as executive producers on the show, which will be their second collaboration with HBO afterPerry Mason. Also credited as executive producers areAmanda Burrellfrom Team Downey,Niv Fichmanfor Rhombus Media,Jisun Backfor Moho Film,Kim Ly(Saigon Bodyguards),Ron Schmidt(House of the Dragon), and author Viet Than Nguyen.
Writers on the series areMark Richard(The Good Lord Bird),Naomi Iizuka(Tokyo Vice),Maegan Houang(Counterpart),Anchuli Felicia King(The Baby), andTea Ho(All the Same).
