There’s a new “Cape Fear” coming to TV screens everywhere — this time, in the form of a streaming TV series on Apple TV. As is always the case with an Apple TV show, the new “Cape Fear” has a strong, A-list cast attached, and will do its best to terrify audiences just as the first two incarnations of the story have done for previous generations. The series premieres with two episodes on Friday, June 5, just after 12 midnight ET. You can stream the show with a 30-day free trial to Apple TV.

How to watch ‘Cape Fear’

• When: Friday, June 5, 2026, at 12:01 a.m. ET
• TV: Apple TV
• Stream: Watch with a 30-day free trial to Apple TV.
• From anywhere: Watch with a subscription to a VPN.

Everything you need to know about ‘Cape Fear’

When will ‘Cape Fear’ come out?

The series adaptation of “Cape Fear” is set to premiere on Apple TV on Friday, June 5, with a two-episode drop. From there, the 10-episode series will roll out weekly through the season finale on July 31.

Will you be able to stream ‘Cape Fear’ for free?

It depends on whether or not you want to watch each episode as it is released, or if you are comfortable waiting until the entire season is available. Apple TV currently offers a seven-day free trial — it can go up to 30 days if you purchase a qualifying Apple device — so if you sign up when the season starts, you will be able to watch the two premiere episodes without having to pay, but to keep up weekly, you will have to commit to at least two months of service.

However, if you want to wait until late July, you can sign up following the penultimate episode, binge the season up until that point, and then catch the finale in real time.

Fortunately, Apple TV is still in the middle of the road in terms of price, at least compared to some of its more aggressive competitors. At $13 per month, it offers a pretty decent deal for the most consistently well-reviewed streamer on the market.

7-Day Trial

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Apple TV

Apple TV (formerly known as Apple TV+) is a subscription video streaming service for $14.99 per month, offering a growing slate of original series, films, documentaries, and specials. Unlike other platforms that combine licensed titles with originals, Apple TV is built entirely around exclusive programming, making it the home of critically acclaimed hits such as “Ted Lasso,” “Severance,” “The Morning Show,” and “Silo.” Its lineup continues to expand with award-winning dramas, comedies, family-friendly shows, and blockbuster original films like “CODA,” which won the Academy Award for Best Picture.

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In October 2025, Apple TV agreed to a deal with Formula 1 to exclusively broadcast all Formula 1 races starting with the 2026 season.

Apple TV also features coverage of all regular-season matches for Major League Soccer (MLS) at no additional cost.

On August 28th, 2026, the price of Apple TV was increased from $12.99 per month to $14.99 per month, the second increase in as many years.

The service is available worldwide through the Apple TV app, which is built into Apple devices and supported on most smart TVs, streaming players like Roku and Fire TV, game consoles, and web browsers. Subscribers can watch on demand, download episodes and movies for offline viewing, and stream in 4K with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, where available. Apple TV also offers family sharing, allowing up to six people to use one subscription at no extra cost.

With a competitive monthly price and bundles available through Apple One — which combines Apple TV with Apple Music, Apple Arcade, iCloud storage, and more — the service continues to grow as a key part of Apple’s ecosystem. Apple TV delivers one of the strongest collections of exclusive content in the streaming space for viewers seeking prestige originals, cinematic storytelling, and seamless access across devices.

7-Day Trial

$14.99+ / month

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Watch the trailer for ‘Cape Fear’

What is ‘Cape Fear’ TV about?

“Cape Fear” will follow Anna and Tom Bowden, a pair of married attorneys whose lives are thrown into terror and chaos when a killer from their past is released from prison, and the only thing on his mind is vengeance. However, unlike the previous Gregory Peck and Robert DeNiro versions, in 2026, killer Max Cady now has a wealth of technological weapons at his fingertips that he can use to destroy the lives, careers, and reputations of the Bowdens.

“Cape Fear” will star Amy Adams and Patrick Wilson as Anna and Tom Bowden, respectively. Javier Bardem will portray Max Cady, the killer with a grudge against these two lawyers. Lily Collias and Joe Anders play the Bowden’s children, Natalie and Zack, while CCH Pounder will be Noa Toussaint.

Also in the ensemble will be Jullian Dulce Vida, Anna Baryshnikov, Margarita Levieva, Malia Pyles, Ron Perlman, Ted Levine, Patrick Fischler, and more.

Take a look at images from ‘Cape Fear’

Click images to expand to full size.

Who is making ‘Cape Fear’?

“Cape Fear” is created, showrun, and executive produced by Nick Antosca. Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg also executive produce, which gives the series a direct line back to the 1991 movie, since Scorsese directed that version and Spielberg produced it.

How does ‘Cape Fear’ connect to the original movies?

“Cape Fear” has a long history. The story begins with John D. MacDonald’s 1957 novel “The Executioners,” which inspired the original 1962 “Cape Fear.” That movie stars Gregory Peck as attorney Sam Bowden and Robert Mitchum as Max Cady, the ex-con who comes after Bowden and his family.

Then came the 1991 “Cape Fear,” directed by Martin Scorsese and produced by Steven Spielberg. That version stars Nick Nolte as Sam Bowden, Jessica Lange as Leigh Bowden, and Robert De Niro as Max Cady. The new series is officially inspired by the 1991 remake, but it’s also based on the original novel and the 1962 movie. The biggest change so far is the Bowden setup: Anna and Tom are both attorneys, and they’re both responsible for putting Cady behind bars, turning their shared legal past into a shared nightmare.

Excited for ‘Cape Fear’? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

Cape Fear

June 4, 2026

When convicted murderer Max Cady is released from prison, he begins infiltrating the family of the married attorneys who helped put him behind bars.