Apple is hard at work on a new streaming TV service. And as 2019 kicks off in full swing, it’s adding more projects to the long-rumored offering.
Over the past couple of years, Apple (AAPL) has been quietly building a portfolio of programming that it hopes to bring to a streaming service at some point in the future. We don’t know much about that streaming service now, but we do know that Apple is working with some of the biggest names in Hollywood.
Amid the whirlwind of news surrounding the service, some of those productions might have gotten lost. So here’s a roundup of the content Apple is reportedly working on to build its new streaming service:
Defending Jacob
Captain America star Chris Evans is planning to star in and produce the new limited drama series Defending Jacob for Apple.The show is based on the 2012 William Landay novel called Defending Jacob and focuses on a father and lawyer whose son stabbed a classmate.
Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston TV series
Major Hollywood actors Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston have signed on to a two-season commitment for a new original series on Apple’s service. It’s expected to be a drama series focused on morning TV shows. Both Witherspoon and Aniston will star in the series, and Witherspoon will executive produce the show.
Are You Sleeping
Just a couple of months after the first show was announced, a report surfaced, saying Apple had teamed up with Reese Witherspoon on another show that would center on true crime podcasts like Serial, called Are You Sleeping. Witherspoon is expected to executive produce the show, which is being developed by and for Oscar-winner Octavia Spencer.
Amazing Stories
Apple has reportedly signed a deal with Steve Spielberg’s TV production company to reboot the director’s 1980s TV anthology series Amazing Stories. Not much is known about the project, but the original series is focused on sci-fi and horror.
Oprah Winfrey Programming
Apple this year signed a major deal with Oprah Winfrey to create a variety of original programs. In a statement at the time, Apple said that the shows will center on “her incomparable ability to connect with audiences around the world.”
See
Actor Jason Momoa, who is best known for his roles on Game of Thrones and Aquaman, signed on with Apple this year to star in a sci-fi drama series called See. The show is written by Steven Knight and will be directed by Francis Lawrence.
M. Night Shyamalan
If you’re an M. Night Shyamalan fan, you might be happy to learn he’s developing a new psychological thriller series for Apple. Again, not much is known about the series, but he will executive produce the show.
Little Voices
Little Voices is a half-hour dramedy series executive produced by Sara Bareilles and J.J. Abrams. And Apple has ordered 10 episodes of the show so far. It centers on music in New York and finding yourself in your 20s.
Losing Earth
Apple has acquired the rights to a 30,000-word New York Times article called “Losing Earth: The Decade We Almost Stopped Climate Change.” Not much is known about the pickup, but the Times says Apple plans to turn the feature into a series.
The Elephant Queen
Apple earlier this month acquired the rights to The Elephant Queen. The documentary follows the elephant Athena, who needs to keep her family alive after suffering a drought.
Sesame Workshop
Apple in June inked a deal with Sesame Workshop, the organization behind Sesame Street, to develop children’s programming for its service. Not much is known about the deal, but it will likely not include Sesame Street.
Sofia Coppola and Bill Murray Reunite
Writer-director Sofia Coppola is once again teaming with actor Bill Murray in a film called On the Rocks. According to a Deadline report, the film will center on a “young mother who reconnects with her larger-than-life playboy father on an adventure through New York.” Rashida Jones will also be in the film. It’s part of Apple’s multi-year deal with film studio A24, which could yield many more new films in the coming months.
Hala
Apple was active at the Sundance Film Festival this year and decided to acquire the rights to Hala, a coming-of-age film executive produced by Jada Pinkett Smith, according to Vulture. The film, which was written and directed by Minhal Baig, stars Geraldine Viswanathan. The film centers on a 17-year-old girl grappling with increasing interest in a classmate and her family’s conservative views.
Time Bandits
Taika Waititi has signed on to the TV series adaptation of Time Bandits, Deadline is reporting. Waititi, who directed Thor: Ragnarok, will co-write and direct the show, and serve as one of its producers. The series will be a time-traveling adventure that follows an 11-year-old that wants to see the world and all it had to offer across generations.
Brie Larson
Coming off the success of Captain Marvel, Brie Larson will be the star of and executive produce an upcoming original series that’s based on the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Entertainment Weekly is reporting. The show will be based on a memoir of actual CIA agent Amaryllis Fox, according to the report.
Last updated on March 13 to include Time Bandits and Brie Larson’s new show.
