Apple TV+ distinguishes itself from its rivals in a specific way: It streams only original shows. Back in 2017, the company said it would spend $1 billion on original programming. By contrast, Netflix, which includes TV shows and blockbuster movies and operates on the binge model, spent $12 billion on content in 2018.
Apple TV+’s investment has drawn sizable talent and focused, in part, on securing TV/movie rights to best-sellers. The streamer debuted Nov. 1 with the dramas “Dickinson,” “The Morning Show” and “See,” as well as a reboot of the kids’ show “Ghost Writer.”
There are some eclectic productions for 2020, including the thriller “Servant” from director M. Night Shyamalan (“The Sixth Sense”) and Rob McElhenney’s videogame comedy “Mythic Quest.”
The following series or movies have been officially announced and will debut or are expected in 2020, according to Macworld.
- Little America (Jan. 17)
- The Banker (movie, Jan. 31)
- Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet (Feb. 7)
- Visible (Feb. 14)
- Little Voice (no release date, “coming soon”)
- Amazing Stories, a Steven Spielberg production (no release date)
- Home Before Dark (no release date)
- Untitled Sexual Assault Documentary, produced by Oprah Winfrey (no release date)
- Billie Eilish Documentary (Production completed, no release date)
- Slow Horses, stars Gary Oldman (no release date)
- Severance (10-episode series ordered, no release date)
- A Christmas Carol (A musical adaptation, stars Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell, no release date.)
- El Gato Negro (Based on Richard Dominguez’s comic book about an aging luchador, no release date.)
- False Flag (adaptation of Hebrew-language TV series, no release date.)
- Masters of the Air (limited series about WWII bombers, first show by Masters, Apple’s internal studio. Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks executive produce, no release date.)
- Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis stars. American football coach goes to UK to coach soccer, despite knowing nothing about the game, no release date.)
- Foundation (Isaac Asimov’s book series, stars Lee Pace and Jared Harris, no release date.)
- The Sky Is Everywhere (The film adaptation of the young adult novel “The Sky Is Everywhere,” no release date.)
- The Mosquito Coast (An adaption of the novel starring Justin Theroux, no release date.)
- Mr. Corman (Written-produced-stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt in a series about an L.A. schoolteacher, no release date)
- Lisey’s Story (8-episode series written by horror legend Stephen King, stars Julianne Moore, no release date.)
- Prehistoric Planet (CGI natural-history series from Jon Favreau and Mike Gunton, no release date.)
- Central Park (2-season, 26-episode ordered animated musical comedy by Loren Bouchard of “Bob’s Burgers,” no release date.)
- Home (1 season, 10-episodes documentary series, homes of the well-to-do.)
- Brie Larson CIA biography series (Direct-to-series order for drama based on the real-life experiences of CIA undercover operative Amaryllis Fox.)
- Simon Kinberg (“X-Men”) and David Weil (“The Hunt) series (10 episode-sci-fi series, no release date.)
- On the Rocks (The film will be written and directed by Sofia Coppola, stars Bill Murray and Rashida Jones, no release date.)
- My Glory Was I Had Such Friends (Direct-to-series order, based on the Amy Silverstein memoir about a woman awaiting heart surgery and the women who supported her. Stars Jennifer Garner, no release date.)
- Defending Jacob (Direct-to-series order for William Landay’s best-selling legal thriller.)
- Losing Earth (Based on the 30,000-word New York Times Magazine article on how a team of scientists tried to stop climate change in the 1980s. No release date.)
- Wolfwalkers (Animated series from Oscar-nominee Tomm Moore, no release date.)
- Pachinko (Based on best-selling novel, 8-episode series, no release date. Written by Soo Hugh (“The Terror.”)
- Time Bandits (Terry Gilliam’s time-traveling adventure comedy directed by Taika Waititi (“Thor: Rangrarok,” “Jojo Rabbit”), no release date.)
- Calls (Apple bought rights to apocalyptic French hit, 10-episodes, 10-minutes each, no release date.)
- Shantaram (Based on the hit novel, Eric Warren Singer (“American Hustle,” “The International”) will write-executive produce the series, no release date.)
- Swagger (Based on the early life and career of NBA superstar Kevin Durant and produced by Brian Glazer, no release date.)
- You Think It, I’ll Say It (10-episodes ordered of comedy variety show. The show is inspired by Curtis Sittenfeld’s collection of short stories, no release date.)
- Damien Chazelle drama series (Straight-to-series ordered for drama by written Damien Chazelle (“La La Land” and “Whiplash”), no release date.)