The much-awaited Cape Fear series from Apple TV+ has added Morten Tyldum to direct the pilot episode. The upcoming series stars Javier Bardem, Amy Adams, and Patrick Wilson. Joining the cast is Emmy-nominated actor CCH Pounder, known for the Avatar franchise, The X-Files, The Shield and Godzilla: King of the Monsters.
Nick Antosca, best known for creating true crime dramas like A Friend of the Family and The Act is writing the series and will serve as its showrunner. Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg will executive producing the series along with Bardem.
According to the makers, the 10-episode series will be a tense, Hitchcockian thriller and an examination of America’s obsession with true crime in the 21st century. It follows the plot of the original film. It follows happily married attorneys Anna (Adams) and Tom Bowden (Wilson) who face growing trouble as Max Cady (played by Bardem), a notorious killer from their past, gets out of prison.
The series draws inspiration from John D MacDonald's novel The Executioners that served as the foundation for the 1962 film starring Gregory Peck, as well as the highly regarded 1991 remake directed by Martin Scorsese, produced by Steven Spielberg, and featuring Robert De Niro and Nick Nolte in the main roles.
Tyldum has previously directed Silo (2023) and three episodes of Defending Jacob (2020) for Apple TV+. Additionally, he has also served as an executive producer on both the series. He has also helmed the pilot episodes of Prime Video series Jack Ryan (2018-2023) and Counterpart at Starz (2017-2019). He was nominated for the Oscar Awards in the Best Director category for Benedict Cumberbatch's The Imitation Game.
Both Adams and Bardem will executive produce in addition to starring in Cape Fear. Antosca executive produces alongside Alex Hedlund under their Eat the Cat banner. Steven Spielberg and Scorsese will also executive produce the series.
Spielberg will executive produce via Amblin Television along with Daryl Frank and Justin Falvey. UCP, where Antosca and Eat the Cat are under an overall deal, will produce.