Scorsese classic coming to Apple TV as new series – 35 years after landmark original

Apple TV really went to town this week, revealing a huge roster of new shows and movies coming to the platform in 2026 – and some sooner than you might think.

Among those is Cape Fear, based on John D. MacDonald's 1957 novel, The Executioners, which, after its first on-screen adaptation in 1962, was made into a feature-length movie in 1991.

That was directed by none other than Martin Scorsese and had a swathe of mega-stars on its cast: Robert De Niro, Juliette Lewis and Nick Nolte, to name but three.

Now, 35 years on from that landmark movie – which, with 77% on Rotten Tomatoes, is hardly Scorsese's highest-rated work – the Apple TV series also goes big on its cast.

Javier Bardem takes up bad-guy duties, playing Max Cady, a just-released-from-prison killer who comes for vengeance against the attorneys who put him behind bars – Anna Bowden (played by Amy Adams) and Tom Bowden (Patrick Wilson).

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It appears that the Apple TV show, which will air from 5 June this year, has moved away from the sex offender role of Cady in Scorsese's 1991 movie, per the original novel.

Expect this new series to turn the psychological-thriller stakes up to the max, with director Amanda Marsalis – known for Ozark, The Pitt, even turning her hand to episodes of The Umbrella Academy and Westworld – taking the helm.

While there's only a few months before the first episode premiere, there's currently no trailer for the new Apple TV show – only the trio of early release images, as in the gallery above.

Expect impeccable production standards, as is a trait of Apple TV originals, furthering the platform as the best streaming service to which you can subscribe.

Indeed, 2026 looks to be an incredibly strong year for new series and movies, with plenty more to come, thus plenty of reasons to stay subscribed.