EastEnders has released a new image hinting at a dramatic future for Max Branning, ahead of a flashforward episode on New Year's Day. The artwork shows Max in a wedding suit with a blood-splattered rose on his lapel, while his son Oscar screams in the background and Lauren cries. A sonogram, a SWAT officer pointing a gun, and a white Rolls Royce also feature in the scene.
The flashforward, set in 2027, will air on 1 January at 19:30 on BBC One, with no early iPlayer release. It depicts Max preparing for his wedding, but the blood on his rose and the presence of armed police suggest trouble. The sonogram and Rolls Royce hint at Max's womanising ways, potentially drawing a SWAT team to Walford.
Max has a history of violence and murder. In 2017, he forced Steven Beale to start a fire with Jane inside, leading to Steven's death after a push. Later that year, he tried to strangle Ian Beale and kill Phil Mitchell. He also covered up Stacey Slater's murder of Archie Mitchell in 2009, letting his son Bradley take the blame, and in 2012, he and others let his brother Derek die from a heart attack without helping.
The flashforward promises to reveal more about Max's dark path, with the blood on his rose raising questions about a possible murder. Viewers will see the consequences of his actions unfold in the new year.
