Apple has a lot of original content on the way for its subscription streaming video service. Here’s what you’ll soon (and eventually) be able to watch.
Apple’s list of currently available content for Apple TV+ continues to grow, but there’s an even faster-growing list of projects in the works. Films, limited series, specials, and multi-season series, Apple’s got lots of irons in the fire for all of them. Some of these projects have been officially announced and acknowledged by Apple, but many have just been reported by the Hollywood press, which always has its ear to the ground about what actors, directors, and producers are getting involved with which projects. We’ve divided this list in two: Coming Soon is a list of shows for which Apple has given an official release date or release window, and Further Out compiles other announced and not-officially-announced projects that are still in production or perhaps haven’t even begun yet. Updated 05/28/21: Apple has released a new trailer for ‘Physical’; added cast information for the ‘Echo 3’ project. The following shows, series, and movies have been officially announced by Apple and will typically will begin streaming in the next few weeks or months. What it’s about: It’s an eight-episode miniseries adaptation of the Stephen King novel of the same name, and Stephen King himself will write every single episode—that’s quite rare for a King TV project. Important names: The miniseries will star Julianne Moore and Clive Owen. When you can watch: Lisey’s Story will premiere on June 4, 2021. What it’s about: In season two, when a mysterious explosion hits a local farm, reporter Hilde Lisko begins an investigation that will lead her to fight a powerful and influential corporation—with the health of her family and Erie Harbor in the balance. Important names: Starring Brooklyn Prince and Jim Sturgess. When you can watch: Season 2 of Home Before Dark premieres on June 11, 2021. What it’s about: A half-hour drama/comedy series set in a 1980s Southern California beach community. It’s about a tortured woman who finds a path to power in the world of aerobics. Important names: The star of the series is Rose Byrne, and the series is written and created by Annie Weisman. When you can watch: Physical will premiere on June 18, 2021. What it’s about: A six-part documentary series that follows DJ and producer Mark Ronson as he “uncovers the untold stories behind music creation and the lengths producers and creators are willing to go to find the perfect sound.” Important names: Artists featured in the series are Paul McCartney, Questlove, King Princess, Dave Grohl, Ad-Rock and Mike D, Charli XCX and more. When you can watch: The series premieres on June 18, 2021. What it’s about: The second season of this animated musical comedy about a family who lives in Central Park. Important names: Featuring the voices of Josh Gad, Stanley Tucci, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Daveed Diggs, Tituss Burgess, Kathryn Hahn, and Leslie Odom Jr. When you can watch: The second season starts streaming on June 25, 2021. What it’s about: A documentary film in which two scientists engage in parallel research journeys on opposite sides of the world, trying to better understand humpback whale culture and communication. Apple Important names: Directed and photographed by Drew Xanthopoulos, following doctors Ellen Garland and Michelle Fournet. When you can watch: Fathom will premiere on June 25, 2021. What it’s about: The characters discover the magical town of Schmigadoon on a backpacking trip, where everyone acts like they’re in a 1940’s musical. They can’t leave until they’ve found “true love.” Apple Important names: Lorne Michaels produces, and the series will star Keegan-Michael Key, Fred Armisen, Kristin Chenoweth, and Cecily Strong. When you can watch: This series will debut on July 16, 2021. What it’s about: A charming fish-out-of-water comedy about a U.S. college football coach who takes a job as head coach of a U.K. Premiere League team. Easily one of the best shows on Apple TV+. Important names: Starring Jason Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham, Brendan Hunt, Jeremy Swift, Juno Temple, Sarah Niles, and many more. When you can watch: Season 2 of Ted Lasso premieres on July 23, 2021. What it’s about: A coming-of-age story about a high school senior who is the only hearing person in her deaf family and is torn between holding together that unit or seeking her own dreams. The film’s name is short for “Child of Deaf Adults.” Apple Important names: The film is written and directed by Siân Heder and stars Emilia Jones. When you can watch: The film lands in theaters and on Apple TV+ on Friday, Aug 13,2021. What it’s about: This animated short film “follows the journey of a stranded horticulturist-astronaut’s chances for survival after he crash lands on a desolate dwarf planet. When an ethereal visitor arrives, the once-lone traveler discovers the joy in building a new life and realizes the universe has delivered astonishing salvation.” Apple Important names: Written and directed by Joe Mateo. When you can watch: Apple says Blush is “coming soon.” What it’s about: A new current-affairs series and the first return to TV for Jon Stewart since 2015 when he left The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Apple says this is to be, “a multiple season, one-hour, single-issue series which will explore topics that are currently part of the national conversation and his advocacy work.” This is one of several projects in the multi-year partnership between Apple and Stewart. Important names: Getting Jon Stewart back in front of the camera is a huge get for Apple. When you can watch: Fall 2021 What it’s about: A combination podcast and video documentary limited series. The podcast is available now and will eventually be comprised of six non-fiction episodes. The four-part video limited series comes to Apple TV+ this fall. It features independently reported accounts of US Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher, who was charged with committing war crimes before ultimately being acquitted on all but one count: for posing in a photo with a corpse. Apple Important names: The podcast is hosted by Dan Taberski. The series is directed by Jeffrey Zimbalist. When you can watch: Fall 2021 (the podcast part is available now) What it’s about: Of all of Isaac Asimov’s famous science fiction work, none is as sprawling, weighty, or influential as the Foundation series. The original book trilogy (part of which was originally published as a short story series in sci-fi magazine Astounding) was published in the 1950s, and has served as influential fodder for a lot of the science fiction that followed. Important names: Lee Pace and Jared Harris will star in the series. When you can watch: Apple says Foundation will stream in 2021. What it’s about: A brain scientist is obsessed with discovering new ways to access memories and consciousness. When his family dies in an accident, he accesses memories from his wife’s brain to figure out what really happened. Important names: Written and directed by Kim Jee-Woon, starring Lee Sun-Kyun. When you can watch: Dr. Brain will debut later in 2021. What it’s about: A documentary film about the famous rock group of the same name. Apple Important names: Directed by Todd Haynes. When you can watch: This series is “coming soon.” What it’s about: This drama is the latest film by celebrated director Joel Coen. We don’t know whether it’s an actual retelling of the Shakespeare tragedy, though. Important names: Stars Denzel Washington and Francis McDormand, directed by Joel Coen. When you can watch: The film is due in theaters in late 2021, with an Apple TV+ release to follow. These shows, series, and movies may or may not have been officially announced, and do not yet have definitive release dates. Some may debut in the next few months, others be more than a year away. It’s even possible that some of these projects will never be released. What it’s about: Set in a ruined and toxic future where a community exists in a giant silo underground, hundreds of stories deep. There, men and women live in a society full of regulations they believe are meant to protect them. Based on the book trilogy by Hugh Howey. Apple Important names: Starring Rebecca Ferguson, written by Graham Yost, directed by Morten Tyldum. When you can watch: Wool has no release date yet. What it’s about: Set in a retro-future world, “Hello Tomorrow!” centers around a group of traveling salesmen hawking lunar timeshares. Apple Important names: Billy Crudup stars and executive produces. Jonathan Entwistle is set to direct. When you can watch: This series has no release date yet. What it’s about: A documentary series about basketball phenom Makur Maker and his decision to play for Howard University in support of Historically Black Colleges and Universities instead of one of the big-name college basketball schools. Apple Important names: Directed and produced by Seth Gordon. When you can watch: The series does not have a release date yet. What it’s about: Finch is a robotics engineer who survives an apocalyptic event in his underground bunker with his dog, Goodyear. After a decade creating a world of his own in his bunker, he makes a robot to take care of his dog when he’s no longer around. Important names: Starring Tom Hanks, directed by Miguel Sapochnik. When you can watch: The film is said to be streaming in 2021, probably near awards season, with a limited theatrical release so it qualifies for awards that require it. What it’s about: A pair of documentary films that examine the history of black actors and actresses in Hollywood. One focuses on leading men, the other on leading women. Important names: Producers include Jamie Foxx, Kevin Hart, Datari Turner, Dan Cogan, Angela Bassett, Halle Berry, Reginald Hudlin, and Bryan Smiley. When you can watch: These two companion films have no release date yet. What it’s about: A documentary film about the life of the pioneering jazz musician. Using a ton of never-before-seen archival footage, the film will tell the story of Armstrong’s life entirely through his own words. Apple Important names: Louis Armstrong is the big name here. The film will be directed by Sacha Jenkins. When you can watch: This film has no release date yet. What it’s about: Gong Show host Chuck Barris famously claimed to be a secret CIA assassin in his autobiography Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, which was made into a feature film in 2002. A Deadline report says Apple is developing an hour-long drama series about Barris as both Gong Show host and CIA assassin. Important names: Justin Timberlake is attached to star as Chuck Barris. When you can watch: This series has no release date yet. What it’s about: Inspired by the biography “The Minds of Billy Milligan,” this is a multi-season anthology series that Apple says will, “explore the true and inspirational stories of those who have struggled and learned to successfully live with mental illness.” This is one of a growing list of shows developed and produced by Apple Studios, Apple’s own TV and film production outfit. The first season will be 10 episodes. Important names: The first season will star Tom Holland with Akiva Goldsman as writer and executive producer. When you can watch: Apple has no release date for this series yet. What it’s about: Apple describes the show as being about, “Molly, a woman whose seemingly perfect life is upended after her husband leaves her with nothing but 87 billion dollars.” The unnamed comedy series will be comprised of half-hour episodes. Important names: Molly will be played by Maya Rudolph. The show creators/writers/producers are Alan Yang and Matt Hubbard. When you can watch: No release date yet. What it’s about: Apple’s description of this limited series says it “takes place in ’60s Baltimore, where an unsolved murder pushes housewife and mother Maddie Schwartz to reinvent her life as an investigative journalist and sets her on a collision course with Cleo Sherwood, a hard-working woman juggling motherhood, many jobs and a passionate commitment to advancing Baltimore’s Black progressive agenda.” Important names: It will star Natalie Portman and Lupita Nyong’o. Directed by Alma Har’el. When you can watch: No release date yet. What it’s about: An adaptation of the novel In With The Devil: A Fallen Hero, A Serial Killer, and A Dangerous Bargain for Redemption. The six-episode limited series is told from the point of view of two prisoners who seek redemption for their wrongdoings. Important names: Stars Ray Liotta, Taron Egerton, and Paul Walter Hauser. When you can watch: No release date yet. What it’s about: An anthology series of “darkly comic feminist fables” with a star-studded cast. Based on a book of short stories by Cecelia Ahern. There will be eight half-hour episodes. Important names: Some stars attached so far include Nicole Kidman, Allison Brie, Cynthia Erivo, and Merritt Wever. When you can watch: No release date yet. What it’s about: Based on the children’s book by Tony DiTerlizzi, which follows the story of Eva Nine, a girl who spent most of her life living underground before being forced to flee outside and survive with a robot named Muthr, an alien named Rovander Kitt, and a water bear named Otto. Apple plans to run at least two seasons of this show. Important names: Written and produced by Lauren Montgomery. When you can watch: No release date yet. What it’s about: When an unlucky girl stumbles upon the never-before-seen world of good and bad luck, she teams up with magical creatures to uncover a force more powerful than even luck itself. Important names: The film is directed by Peggy Holmes. When you can watch: Luck is currently scheduled to be released in early 2022. What it’s about: A musical that follows Elian, a young girl who sets out to break the spell that has divided her kingdom in two. Important names: Directed by Vicky Jenson, with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Glenn Slater. When you can watch: Spellbound is currently expected to be released in late 2022. What it’s about: Deadline describes it as a “sci-fi courtroom drama in which a robotic ‘companion doll’ kills its owner and then shocks the world by claiming that she is not guilty and asking for a lawyer.
