As the only streaming service without a library of licensed content (aside from some limited-availability movies), Apple TV Plus relies almost entirely on the quality of its original programming to attract subscribers.
With so many acclaimed shows to watch, that strategy has worked out pretty well so far, and Apple TV Plus released a new teaser today at Apple’s WWDC with a reminder of all the high-profile programming it has on the horizon. That includes new shows, major feature films and new seasons of returning favorites.
The teaser opens with what is probably the most heavily anticipated series, the long-awaited return of “Severance” for its second season. As Adam Scott’s Mark Scout emerges from an elevator, his supervisor Seth Milchick (Tramell Tillman) welcomes him back, surrounded by balloons featuring Mark’s face.
That’s the first of a handful of glimpses of the new season of “Severance,” which doesn’t yet have a premiere date. Later, the teaser shows Mark flashing through different outfits as he lies on a conference room table, then frantically runs through the halls of Lumon.
“Severance” isn’t the only major Apple TV Plus series whose return is highlighted in this teaser. Fellow sci-fi show “Silo,” espionage thriller “Slow Horses,” historical epic “Pachinko” and therapy comedy “Shrinking” all get brief showcases.
Tim Robbins’ Bernard Holland rallies his fellow residents to leave the confines of their underground home in the second season of “Silo.” Gary Oldman’s Jackson Lamb offers up sarcastic praise in “Slow Horses" season 4. Jason Segel and Harrison Ford have a typically prickly interaction in the second season of “Shrinking.”
There’s not much to see from the second season of “Pachinko,” but that’s the only one with an announced premiere date, set for August 23. Presumably, their inclusion in this teaser means that the rest of these shows will all premiere their new seasons sometime in 2024 or possibly early 2025.
New shows and movies include big stars and high concepts
The teaser also includes some new Apple TV Plus series, beginning with the recent sci-fi show “Dark Matter,” from the novel by Blake Crouch, which is currently in the midst of its first season. Legal thriller “Presumed Innocent,” based on the Scott Turow novel and starring Jake Gyllenhaal as a prosecutor accused of murder, premieres this week on June 12.
Two more novel adaptations are set to premiere a little further ahead: Period mystery “Lady in the Lake,” based on Laura Lippman’s novel and starring Natalie Portman as an investigative journalist, premieres July 19. Comedic crime thriller “Bad Monkey,” starring Vince Vaughn as a Florida health inspector and based on the Carl Hiaasen novel, premieres August 14.
A disclaimer at the end of the teaser notes, “Some titles coming to Apple TV Plus later,” and that applies to star-studded feature films “Fly Me to the Moon” and “Wolfs,” both of which will get full theatrical releases. A quick look at “Fly Me to the Moon” (in theaters July 12) shows the planned “back-up” faking of the moon landing that sparks a romance between characters played by Channing Tatum and Scarlett Johansson. Heist thriller “Wolfs” (in theaters September 20) gets a slightly longer look, as George Clooney and Brad Pitt demonstrate the same playful chemistry they had in the “Ocean’s” movies.
Fellow heist thriller “The Instigators,” starring Matt Damon and Casey Affleck, will be available to stream more quickly, with a brief theatrical release on August 2 before premiering on Apple TV Plus on August 9.
In just under two minutes, that’s a lot to take in, and Apple TV Plus will certainly have more extensive looks at some of these shows and movies as it gets closer to their release dates. If you’re wondering whether there’s anything for you to watch on one of the best streaming services, though, this teaser is a pretty handy reminder.
