So Apple wants to take on Netflix. And Disney. And Stan. And countless other streaming services. With $1 billion invested in original content, a reasonable subscription price, and a captive audience on its devices, we wouldn’t count Apple out in the streaming wars, but it’ll all depend on the quality of original shows and films in Apple TV+’s library. Here’s a combination of up and coming projects, as well as many we’ve loved so far. Let’s take a look!
1 season, 5 episodes
After an extended, three-decade-long hiatus, Steven Spielberg’s seriesAmazing Storiesreturned to television. Like the original, this anthology spins a different, genre-exploring tale each episode, some of which are actually pretty good.
Movie, 120 minutes
Directed by George Nolfi and inspired by a true story, The Banker stars Anthony Mackie and Samuel L. Jackson as “two African American entrepreneurs who try to circumvent the racial limitations of the 1950’s and quietly provide housing loans to the African American community in Jim Crow Texas.”
Documentary, 119 minutes
Frequent Beastie Boys collaborator Spike Jonze teamed back up with the remaining two members, Mike Diamond and Adam Horovitz, to tell the legendary hip-hop group’s backstory. Pulling from both archival footage and the group’s recent live stage production, the documentary’s said to be the most personal feature on the group to date.
1 season, 6 episodes
Oh, baby. This docuseries illustrates how fundamental the first 2,000 days of life are for each and every baby across the globe. Olivia Coleman narrates.
Documentary, 109 minutes
Apple snatched up this documentary from A24 for $12 million at Sundance in 2020-the highest bid for a documentary from the festival ever. The feature is a coming-of-age story that follows three teenaged boys as they experience a week-long summer program held by the American Legion where teenagers play politics and campaign to design a new, mock government.
1 season, 10 episodes
This animated musical comedy (yep, you read that right) from Bob’s Burgers creator Loren Bouchard already has the green light for two seasons. Hopefully you like musical comedy, Josh Gad (one of the voices), and puns. Other stars lending their voice to the series include Kristen Bell, Stanley Tucci, Tituss Burgess, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., and Daveed Diggs.
1 season, 10 episodes
This docuseries is inspired by… the format of one of Apple’s advertisements, Dear Apple, which feature consumers reading a letter about how their products changed their life. The show from documentarian R.J. Cutler (The September Issue) fortunately won’t be an ode to Apple Watches. Instead, it’ll each episode is a biographic look at various figures, from Oprah and Gloria Steinem to Big Bird, told through “letters written by those whose live have changed through their work.” Sure!
1 season, 8 episodes
This limited series stars Captain America himself (Chris Evans) in an adaptation of William Landay’s crime novel of the same name about an ADA’s son suspected of killing a classmate. Michelle Dockery and Jaeden Martell co-star for the miniseries, which proved to be the streaming service’s surprise hit upon its spring 2020 release.
2 seasons, 20 episodes
America’s favorite reclusive poet, who almost certainly suffered from some kind of mental illness, receives the quirky comedy treatment in a series which casts Hailee Steinfeld-of True Grit and pop music fame-as Emily Dickinson, and Jane Krakowski as Emily’s mother. Expect lots of white dresses and creative license in interpreting the story of a genius who published almost nothing during her lifetime and barely left her house for the last three decades of her life. The show is one of the streaming service’s greatest hits, with a third season already green-lit.
1 season, 7 episodes
This is an all new one for the kiddos. The animated series is about a robot who decides against downloading all the information he needs to know in order to experience life like humans.
1 season, 6 episodes
Not to be confused with Netflix’s Night on Earth, Earth At Night In Color is Apple’s nighttime nature doc. They didn’t get too creative with the name here, because, as you might expect, it is a docuseries about the nocturnal lives of animals.
Documentary, 96 minutes The Elephant Queen focuses on Athena, an elephant-family matriarch and “tusker,” i.e., an elephant whose tusks grow long enough to reach the ground. The film chronicles the herd’s journey from its “green season” watering hole to its dry season home, a dangerous trek for the youngest of the group. Narrated by Oscar-nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor and directed by Emmy award-winning wildlife documentarians Victoria Stone and Mark Deeble.
Documentary, 97 minutes
Werner Herzog and professor Clive Oppenheimer (Encounters at the End of the World, Into the Inferno) re-teamed for a documentary about how falling stars and meteorites throughout history have introduced humanity to the possibility of life beyond our stars.
2 seasons, 20 episodes
What if the Russians made it to the Moon first, and the space race had never ended? That’s the premise of Battlestar Galactica creator Ronald D. Moore’s Apple+ series, which stars Joel Kinnaman as Edward Baldwin (hmmm, sounds like Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin?), Michael Dorman, Sarah Jones, and Shantel VanSanten.
1 season, 13 episodes
A reboot of the 90’s children’s program of the same name, Ghostwriter tells the story of four kids brought together when a ghost begins to haunt their neighbourhood bookstore, releasing fictional characters into the real world. Each episode focuses on a specific literary work, featuring both classics and newer works alike.
1 season, 7 episodes
Apple’s getting into even more short-form content and sports docs. This seven-episode docuseries features famous athletes including the likes of LeBron James, Alex Morgan, Usain Bolt, and others discussing pivotal moments of their careers.
Movie, 91 minutes
Tom Hanks loves a WWII period piece. Greyhound, which he wrote the screenplay for and stars in, is a wet and wild epic at sea based on a true story about a Navy commander on his first-ever cross-Atlantic journey that’s relentlessly followed by Nazi submarines.
Movie, 93 minutes
Director Minhal Baig’s film Hala “follows a high school senior struggling to balance being a suburban teenager with her traditional Muslim upbringing.”
2 seasons, 20 episodes
Apple teamed with Sesame Workshop for Helpsters, for some Sesame Street-adjacent content, in this case a show called Helpsters. They’re monsters who help people! The titular helpsters “help” prepare preschoolers for a lifetime of tech servitude by “teaching them to code” at an early age. Probably more useful than making macaroni art, but do we really want 4-year-olds to become content-producing members of our technocapitalist society? According to Apple, yes, we do! How else will the company dominate the world?
1 season, 10 episodes This is inspired by Hilde Lysiak, the 12-year-old girl who publishes her own newspaper in Pennsylvania and got the scoop on a murder case. She’s helped by her father, a former New York Daily News reporter. You can try to make this stuff up, but it’s not recommended. The Florida Project‘s precocious star Brooklynn Prince portrays Lysiak, and she’s supported by Jim Sturgess, Abby Miller, and Louis Herthum.
1 season, 8 episodes
Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon, The Big Sick co-writers and co-authors of a life in love (hahahahaha they’re married), created this anthology series about immigrants in America. Each episode tells a singular story, some funny, some romantic, about unique immigrant experiences, like of a young man from Nigeria who finds a connection to Oklahoma cowboy culture or a woman from Uganda set on making it as a baker.
1 season, 9 episodes
Do not pitch anything “big” to Apple. In an cruelly ironic twist, this J.J. Abrams-produced musical dramedy, with songs by Sara Bareilles, is set in the Big Apple and is described as “a love letter to the diverse musicality of New York” and an exploration of “the universal journey of finding your authentic voice in your early 20’s.”
1 season, 10 episodes
Picture this: Ewan McGregor taking a motorcycle trip all the way up the Western coast of the Americas, from Patagonia in South America to California in North America, with only his good friend, the British TV personality and motorbike enthusiast Charley Boorman, for company. The series is a sequel to 2007’s Long Way Down, in which McGregor and Boorman rode south from Scotland to South Africa.
1 season, 8 episodes
This Israeli limited series is a neo-noir that follows an ageing film director who gets connected to (and eventually obsessed with) a young screenwriter.
Special, 43 minutes
The queen of Christmas, Mariah Carey, took her festive oeuvre to Apple TV+ for an original holiday special. Truly, all we ever want for Christmas is Mariah taking her rightful throne.
1 season, 10 episodes
When this Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston project was still seeking a title, we suggested Morning Shade, which seems like it took three seconds to come up with instead of the millisecond it took to come up with The Morning Show (Morning Wars in Australia). That’s why we’re sitting behind the screen and not developing original shows for Apple. Witherspoon and Aniston’s presentation back at the March 2019 Apple event described The Morning Show as looking at gender dynamics in the high-octane world of… morning shows. It’s about a morning show. The show takes some creative liberties with the Matt Lauer scandal, but had a generally favourable reviews for Season 1 and garnered a great deal of awards buzz, despite having replaced two showrunners.
1 season, 10 episodes Mythic Quest is a comedy series from the brains of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia veterans Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day, and Megan Ganz, and it’s co-produced by Ubisoft (yes, the video game development company). The series follows a group of devs working on the eponymous Mythic Quest, a wildly successful MMORPG on the cusp of releasing its first major expansion. McElhenney stars as Ian Grimm, a gifted creative director with “an ego the size of a bus,” alongside F. Murray Abraham, David Hornsby, Charlotte Nicdao, Ashly Burch, Danny Pudi, Jessie Ennis, and Imani Hakim. Season 2 of the comedy is set to premiere on May 7.
Movie, 96 minutes
One of the many projects a part of Apple and A24’s multiyear deal, On the Rocks is an film starring Bill Murray and Rashida Jones that tells the story of a young mother reconnecting with her playboy father to sus out her maybe cheating husband (Marlon Wayans). Sofia Coppola, who previously directed Murray during 2003’s Oscar-winning Lost in Translation, is at the helm.
1 season, 7 episodes
This is the first of multiple Oprah projects following a deal with Apple. As you might expect, it brings her famed book club to the screen, featuring Oprah in conversation with the authors of selected books. Thus far, she’s been joined by Ta-Nehisi Coates to discuss The Water Dancer, Elizabeth Strout, author of Olive, Again, and others.
Movie, 110 minutes
Fisher Stevens directs Justin Timberlake as a former high school football star who returns to his hometown after a stint in prison, trying to rebuild his life while finding himself the sudden caretaker of a young boy who’s been abandoned by his family.
1 season, 8 episodes
What if in the future… EVERYONE WERE BORN BLIND? And what if, suddenly, some babies were born who COULD SEE? Those are the tantalising questions See (for real) asks in a series written by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight. Aquaman Jason Momoa stars with Alfre Woodard, and it’s just weird enough to merit an exploratory watch.
2 seasons, 20 episodes
This psychological thriller, created and written by Tony Basgallop and executive-produced by M. Night Shyamalan, stars Lauren Ambrose, Toby Kebbell, Nell Tiger Free, and Ron Weasley (AKA Rupert Grint) and tracks a troubled couple after a nanny arrives to take care of their infant son. Given Shyamalan’s involvement, you can probably guess that things are not exactly what they seem.
1 season, 12 episodes Snoopy in Space was the first series to come out Apple’s deal to produce all manner of new Peanuts content. A STEM-focused series, it’s all about Snoopy trying to realise his dream of becoming an astronaut. After making it to the USS Space Station, Chuck Brown’s pup is all set to explore the moon and beyond.
1 season, 6 episodes
Apple may have snatched the rights so that beloved Peanuts holiday specials like It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown and A Charlie Brown Christmas no longer air on network television, but at least they’re making good by releasing all new Peanuts gang shows. The Snoopy Show features new adventures with everyone’s favourite Beagle (and Woodstock, of course).
1 season, 6 episodes
Based on the children’s book series Zen Shorts, this animated children’s show is about three siblings who live next door to a wise panda who teaches them about life and mindfulness.
1 season, 10 episodes
American football and British football may have little in common, but that doesn’t stop renowned American NFL coach Ted Lasso from stepping in to help a British soccer team get their shit together in this comedy. Jason Sudeikis plays the titular character in this show that he also co-created, and actually originates in a character he used to play in ads on NBC Sports. This one’s quickly become a surprise hit for the streamer-which makes sense, given how freaking wholesome it is. Thankfully, a second season is already due out summer 2021.
1 season, 8 episodes This is a show based on the novel Are You Sleeping?, about people obsessed with true-crime podcasts. Pick through those layers of meta-media insanity during a bout of insomnia, but it has plenty of big-name actors on board, including Academy Award winner Octavia Spencer, Breaking Bad‘s Aaron Paul, and Lizzy Caplan (playing twins).
Movie, 102 minutes Wolfwalkers, an animated delight, takes place in a world in which wolves are seen as demonic creatures that need to be tamed. An apprentice hunter, Robyn, travels to Ireland with her father to wipe out the last back. After meeting a wild girl named Mebh, however, Robyn is exposed to the world of the Wolfwalkers and transformed into the very thing she’s trained to destroy. Wolfwalkers is co-directed by Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart.
Premiere date: February 26
This documentary gives a behind-the-scenes look at one of pop music’s biggest phenoms, “the bad guy” herself, Billie Eilish. From documentarian R. J. Cutler (The September Issue, Belushi), the film looks at the “normal side” of the teenage mega-star’s life and her humble beginnings.
COMING SOON
Cherry
Premiere date: March 12
For their follow-up to their box office-conquering Avengers films, the Russo Brothers took on a darker story with this adaptation of Nico Walker’s harrowing opioid addiction novel Cherry, which tells the story of an Army medic who starts robbing banks to fund his drug habit. The filmmaking duo is bringing Spider-Man along for the ride, with Tom Holland playing the film’s deeply troubled protagonist.
The Mosquito Coast
Premiere date: April 30
Based off of Paul Theroux’s 1981 novel of the same name, The Mosquito Coast is a drama series from Neil Cross (Luther) and directed by Rupert Wyatt (Rise of the Planet of the Apes). The series stars Justin Theroux as Allie, an inventor who uproots his family to Latin America. This isn’t the first time that the novel has been brought to the screen-Harrison Ford played Allie in the 1986 feature film adaptation.
Lisey’s Story
Premiere date: 2021 TBA Lisey’s Story is an adaptation of Stephen King’s 2006 novel of the same name, which stars Julianne Moore as a woman who is having trouble cleaning out the office of her late novelist husband (Clive Owen), and uncovers repressed memories of their marriage while she reminisces. Joan Allen, Dane DeHaan, and Sung Kang also star.
Physical
Premiere date: 2021 TBA
Cue up the Olivia Newton-John hit: Rose Byrne is about to get physical. In this dramedy from Annie Weisman (Desperate Housewives) and Alexandra Cunningham (Desperate Housewives, Dirty John), Byrne plays a bored housewife in the ’80s who finds she can escape the doldrums of her daily life by taking up the hottest trend at the time, aerobics.
Foundation
Premiere date: 2021 TBA
Isaac Asimov took the world of science fiction by storm when he published his novel (and plenty of followups) about a vision of the future in which every major political event is predicted and planned for in advance by “psychohistorians,” who have turned seeing the future into a science. This adaptation stars Lee Pace as the Emperor of the Galaxy and Jared Harris as the brilliant Hari Seldon.
Mr. Corman
Premiere date: 2021 TBA
From A24, Mr. Corman is a “deep cut into the days and nights of a public schoolteacher in the San Fernando Valley.” Joseph Gordon-Levitt will write, direct, executive produce, and star as the eponymous Mr. Corman in the half-hour dramedy.
Schmigadoon
Premiere date: 2021 TBA
From the writers of the Despicable Me franchise, Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio, and executive producer Lorne Michaels, comes a musical comedy series starring Keegan-Michael Key andSNL‘s Cecily Strong who, while on a backpacking trip, stumble upon the town of Schmigadoon where everyone acts like they’re living in the 1940s and no one’s allowed to leave until they’ve found true love. The series prides itself on parodying famous musicals-but theater fans, don’t worry because iconic Broadway legends like Alan Cumming, Kristin Chenoweth, and many others make an appearance to round out the show.
Acapulco
Premiere date:TBA
A Spanish-English comedy series set in the ’80s about a young man who gets his dream job working at a lavish resort in (you guessed it) Acapulco. Eugenio Derbez plays the man in present day and is on to narrate the series.
The Afterparty
Premiere date: TBA
Apple announced in June 2020 that it had give an eight-episode series order to Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s idea for a murder mystery show set amongst a high school reunion, in which each episode takes us through the events of the same night from a different perspective, with different visual styles for each. The group of former classmates is rounded out with some A+ comedic stars including Tiffany Haddish, Ilana Glazer, Ben Schwartz, Ike Barinholtz, and others.
Bride
Premiere date: TBA
Scarlett Johannson was the voice of an AI technology in Her, and now she’ll be playing another form of AI-this time in front of the screen-in Bride. The actress stars in Sebastián Lelio’s (A Fantastic Woman, Gloria) latest, which is another film in Apple and A24’s deal, finding her as an entrepreneur’s creation of an ideal wife who decides to escape his hold and enter the outside world.
Calls
Premiere date: TBA Calls originated in France at Canal+ under the direction of Timothée Hochet. Apple’s ordered up 10 episodes of this mostly audio horror-esque series, which is not a podcast, so don’t call it one!
Dark Matter
Premiere date: TBA
A series adaptation of Blake Crouch’s novel Dark Matter is on the way, with Crouch on as writer and Matt Tolmach (Venom, Jumanji) showrunning. The sci-fi thriller follows a man who suddenly finds himself in a strange, alternative reality, forcing him to question which life really is the dream and how to find his way back to what he knows.
Earthsound
Premiere date: TBA
The same team behind Apple TV+’s Earth at Night in Colour is releasing another nature doc. This one is a 12-part series that uses fancy 360 sound design to capture the magnificent, often unheard moments in nature around the planet.
Emancipation
Premiere date: TBA
Antoine Fuqua will direct Will Smith as runaway slave Peter, who escaped his Louisiana plantation in 1863 and joined the Union Army, where he allowed his scarred back to be photographed during a medical examination. The photo of his whip scars was published in the Independent, revealing to the world the cruelties of American slavery and inspiring many free Black people to join the Union Army.
The Essex Serpent
Premiere date: TBA
Claire Danes stars in this adaptation of Sarah Perry’s 2016 novel about a woman named Cora who, after divorcing her abusive husband, travels from Victorian London to rural Essex following rumours of sightings of the legendary “Essex Serpent.”
Harriet the Spy
Premiere date: TBA
Apple is making a Harriet the Spy series! The animated show will adapt Louise Fitzhugh’s classic 1964 children’s detective book, with Beanie Feldstein voicing the titular character, and Jane Lynch and Lacey Chabert also starring.
Hedy Lamarr
Premiere date: TBA
Gal Gadot will executive produce and star in this series about the famous Hollywood glamour girl and inventor Hedy Lamarr, written by Sarah Treem of The Affair, House of Cards, and In Treatment.
Invasion
Premiere date: TBA
Apple picked up a character-drive sci-fi drama based on two scripts and a show bible written by Simon Kinberg and David Weil. The series shows various people’s perspectives from across the globe as aliens start to invade Earth.
Killers of the Flower Moon
Premiere date: TBA
Martin Scorsese will direct Jesse Plemons, Leonardo Dicaprio, and Robert de Niro in this adaptation of David Grann’s 2017 book about the FBI investigation into the murders of Native Americans from the Osage Nation in the 1920s after oil deposits were found on their land.
Lessons in Chemistry
Premiere date: TBA
An adaptation of Bonnie Garmus’s novel of the same name, Brie Larson is on as executive producer and stars in this drama series as a ’60s housewife who dreams of working in science and takes a job hosting a cooking show to force her way out of the domestic sphere.
Losing Earth
Premiere date: TBA
That big 2018 New York Times story about how we’re all fucked because huge companies ignored climate science in favour of profits and partisan politics has been scooped up by Apple for development into a series.
Masters of the Air
Premiere date: TBA
Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks are teaming up once again for a follow-up to Band of Brothers and The Pacific, based on Donald L. Miller’s book about the Air Force bomber boys who flew their planes over Nazi Germany in World War II.
My Glory Was I Had Such Friends
Premiere date: TBA
Any time you can use a W.B. Yeats line as the title of your television show, YOU DO IT. Jennifer Garner will star as a woman waiting for her second heart transplant-she makes it through thanks to (you guessed it) her friends. This one is based on the memoir of the same name, and will have J.J. Abrams as executive producer.
Shannon Finney/Getty Images
Oprah documentary projects
Premiere date: TBA
In addition to her book club series, Oprah is also currently working on two documentary-based projects. There’s Toxic Labor, a documentary about sexual assault and harassment in the workplace, and a currently unnamed multi-part series on mental health.
Premiere date: TBA
Fans of the 2014 comedy Neighbors, you’ll want to tune into Platonic. The series sees the whole gang back together-director Nick Stoller and stars Rose Byrne and Seth Rogen-with the two leads playing a couple of platonic friends (obviously) who reconnect years after having a falling out.
Prehistoric Planet
Premiere date: TBA
You’ve seen Jon Favreau direct hyper-realistic, soul-sucking lions. Now, see Jon Favreau direct dinosaurs in Prehistoric Planet, an upcoming documentary series that will use CGI to tell the story of the dinosaur’s last days. The series is in partnership with BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit, famous for Planet Earth and Blue Planet.
Severance
Premiere date: TBA
Patricia Arquette and Ben Stiller are joining forces yet again for a series not at all affiliated with Ling Ma’s excellent 2018 novel Severance. Like he did Escape From Dannemora, Stiller’s directing the actress in an upcoming workplace thriller set in an office with unusual work-life balance policies. Deadline reported Arquette will play the boss to Adam Scott’s character, who is said to have a dark past he’s trying to escape, and will be joined by Christopher Walken and John Tuturro.
Shantaram
Premiere date: TBA American Hustle writer Eric Warren Singer will write and executive produce this adaptation of Gregory David Robert’s novel of the same name, the first two episodes of which will be directed by Justin Hurzel. Hopefully it’s more coherent than American Hustle. Charlie Hunnam (Pacific Rim) was recently cast in the series’ lead role.
Sharper
Premiere date: TBA
Julianne Moore will star in and produce this movie about a con artist taking on “the world of Manhattan’s billionaire echelon.” Brian Gatewood and Alessandro Tanaka (Dice, The Sitter) are writing the script, and A24 is also producing.
Shining Girls
Premiere date: TBA
Elisabeth Moss will star in this adaptation of Lauren Beukes’ 2013 bestselling metaphysical thriller about a Chicago reporter hunting down her assailant while reality around her shifts in unexpected ways.
The Shrink Next Door
Premiere date: TBA
Apple has given an eight-episode limited series order for this show, directed by Michael Showalter (Wet Hot American Summer) and based on last year’s super popular podcast about the exploitative doctor-patient relationship between psychologist to the stars Dr. Isaac “Ike” Herschkopf (Paul Rudd) and his longtime patient Martin “Marty” Markowitz (Will Ferrell).
The Sky Is Everywhere
Premiere date: TBA
Josephine Decker (Madeline’s Madeline, Shirley) is directing this adaptation of Jandy Nelson’s 2010 young adult novel about a high school girl named Lennie Walker who, while recovering from her sister’s death, accidentally falls in love. A24 will also produce.
Slow Horses
Premiere date: TBA
Gary Oldman is starring in this adaptation of Mick Herron’s series of books (collectively called Slough House) about a backwater dumping ground for MI5’s worst secret agents. If that sounds sort of Veep-y to you, you’ll be thrilled to learn Veep writer Will Smith (no relation) will both write and executive produce the series.
Snow Blind
Premiere date: TBA
Jake Gyllenhaal is starring in this adaptation of Ollie Masters and Tyler Jenkins’ bestselling graphic novel about a young boy living in a small Alaska town who finds out that his family is in the witness protection program when a mysterious man shows up in their town, looking for revenge and pursued by FBI agents. Gustav Möller (The Guilty) will direct in his English-language debut.
Surface
Premiere date: TBA Surface is yet another project from Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine imprint, although little is known about it aside from that. It’s said to be a psychological thriller and star Gugu Mbatha-Raw (who appears opposite Witherspoon on The Morning Show).
Suspicion
Premiere date: TBA Suspicion is an English-language adaptation of the Israeli thriller series False Flag. While there aren’t any details about how faithful Apple’s adaptation will be, the original series tells the story of five ordinary Israelis who wake up to discover that they’ve been implicated as suspects in a high-profile kidnapping. With their names, faces, and personal information splashed across media worldwide, the Israeli government largely leaves them to fend for themselves. Deadline reported that Uma Thurman will lead the cast, but few details are known aside from that.
Swagger
Premiere date: TBA
Former NBA MVP and Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant has long had an interest in diversifying his portfolio with tech investments and his very own media company. This series is based on Durant’s early life and will allegedly explore the world of AAU basketball, which if done honestly could lead to a pretty sordid and fun show! We’ll see what Ron Howard and Brian Grazer’s Imagine Television production company can come up with. There are already character descriptions in a casting call for young actors, and spoiler alert: These kids MUST HAVE INNATE ATHLETIC ABILITY. There’s going to be lots of basketball in Swagger, in other words. Apple announced that Winston Duke (Black Panther, Us) will star as Ike, a youth basketball coach and former star player.
Swan Song
Premiere date: TBA
Mahershala Ali will play a man named Milo, living in the near-future, who discovers just how far he will go to give a better life to someone he loves. The film is described as “genre bending,” and is directed by Benjamin Cleary, who directed the fantastic 2015 short film Stutterer.
Premiere date: TBA
This half-hour series hit a snag when Kristen Wiig backed out, but it’s still happening, and it’s still presumably inspired by Curtis Sittenfeld’s short story collection You Think It, I’ll Say It.
Premiere date: TBA
In an overall deal with A24, Ramy Youssef signed on to create two new shows, one for Netflix, and the other for Apple TV+, which stars Ramy‘s Stephen Way and, as Youssef describes it, shows the “perspective and the experience of a disabled person and their family in a real way.”
Untitled The Custom of the Country adaptation
Premiere date: TBA
Sofia Coppola is directing an adaptation of Edith Wharton’s classic 1913 novel, which follows a young Midwestern woman, Undine Spragg, who attempts to ascend the ranks of New York’s high society. The book has been credited with partly inspiring Julian Fellowes’ Downton Abbey.
Starting with the new moon on Sunday, January 22, this Lunar New Year ushers in the year of the Rabbit. We’ve put together a guide on celebrating the Lunar New Year in Australia.
What is special about the year of the Rabbit?
As you might know, each year has an animal sign in the Chinese Zodiac, which is based on the moon and has a 12-year cycle. This year, we celebrate the year of the rabbit, known to be the luckiest out of all twelve animals. It symbolises mercy, elegance, and beauty.
What celebrations are taking place and how can I get involved?
There are plenty of festivals happening all around the country which you can get involved with. Here they are per state.
New South Wales
Darling Harbour Fireworks When: Every year, Sydney puts on a fireworks show, and this year, you can catch it on January 28 and February 4 at 9 pm in Darling Harbour.
Dragon Boat Races When: Witness three days of dragon boat races and entertainment on Cockle Bay to usher in the Lunar New Year. The races will commence on January 27 and finish on January 29.
Lion Dances When: Catch a traditional Lion Dance moving to the beat of a vigorous drum bringing good luck and fortune for the Lunar New Year. The dance performances will happen across Darling Harbour on Saturday, January 21, Sunday, January 22, and Sunday, February 4 and 5, around 6 pm and 9 pm.
Lunar New Year at Cirrus Dining When: Barangaroo’s waterfront seafood restaurant, Cirrus, is celebrating the Year of the Rabbit with a special feast menu. Cirrus’ LNY menu is $128pp with optional wine pairing and is available from Saturday, January 21, to Sunday, February 5.
Auntie Philter When: Hello Auntie’s owner and executive chef, Cuong Nguyen will be dishing out some of the most classic Vietnamese street foods with his mum, Linda. All of Philter’s favourites will be on offer, as well as Raspberry Pash Beer Slushies and other cocktails being served at the Philter Brewing rooftop bar on Sunday, January 22 and Sunday, January 29.
Victoria
Lunar New Year Festival When: Ring in the Lunar New Year with food, music, arts, and more on Sunday, January 22, from 10 am to 9 pm.
Lunar New Year at the National Gallery of Victoria When: Celebrate the year of the rabbit at the National Gallery of Victoria’s festival of art, food, and art-making activities for everyone from 10 am-5 pm.
Queensland
BriAsia Festival When: From February 1-19, Brisbane will come alive with performances, including lion dances and martial arts displays. There will be street food, workshops, comedy and more.
South Australia
Chinatown Adelaide Street Party When: Adelaide is set to hose a fun-filled day celebrating the Chinese New Year on Saturday, January 28, from 12 pm to 9 pm.
Western Australia
Crown Perth When: Across January and February, Crown Perth hosts free live entertainment, including colourful lion dances, roving mascots, and drumming performances. The restaurants will also throw banquets and menus dedicated to the Lunar New Year.
