‘Disclaimer’ Debuts This Week; Everything You Need To Know About Alfonso Cuarón’s New TV Show
Famed director Alfonso Cuarón is taking on the small screen with a few of his longtime collaborators.
Famed director Alfonso Cuarón doesn’t usually tell stories on the small screen. From “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” to “Children of Men” and “Gravity,” the images he creates alongside his frequent collaborator, cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki, are built for the theater.
But all that is changing with his new Apple TV+ seven-episode limited series “Disclaimer,” premiering on Friday, Oct. 11, with its first two episodes, followed by new episodes every Friday through Nov. 15. Here’s everything you need to know about Alfonso Cuarón first-ever TV series: “Disclaimer.”
Everything You Need to Know About ‘Disclaimer’:
What is ‘Disclaimer’ About?
“Disclaimer” - based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Renée Knight - is a gripping psychological thriller that follows a renowned journalist, Catherine Ravenscroft, played by Cate Blanchett. Catherine has built her career by exposing the secrets of others. But her life takes an ominous turn when she discovers a novel that mysteriously appears on her bedside table. To her horror, the novel unveils a dark secret from her own past – one she thought was buried forever.
The series explores how this revelation unravels her life as she races to uncover the writer’s true identity, testing her relationships with her husband, Robert (Sacha Baron Cohen), and their son, Nicholas (Kodi Smit-McPhee). The cast includes other heavy hitters like Kevin Kline and Lesley Manville, along with Cohen and Smit-McPhee.
Who Are the Main Characters of ‘Disclaimer’?
-
Catherine Ravenscroft: Played by Cate Blanchett. A celebrated journalist who made her career by exposing others’ misdeeds. Her life takes a turn when she receives a mysterious novel that reveals dark secrets from her past, threatening to shatter her world.
-
Robert Ravenscroft: Played by Sacha Baron Cohen. Catherine’s husband, whose relationship with her becomes strained as her past comes back to haunt her, jeopardizing their marriage and family.
-
Stephen Brigstocke: Played by Kevin Kline. The mysterious author of the novel who uncovers Catherine’s hidden secrets. His narrative drives much of the plot, as his only goal is to reveal the truth.
-
Nicholas Ravenscroft: Played by Kodi Smit-McPhee. Catherine and Robert’s son, who becomes entangled in the chaos as Catherine’s past destabilizes everything.
-
Nancy Brigstocke: Played by Lesley Manville. Nancy will play an important role in exposing secrets and exacting consequences.
-
Narrator: Voiced by Indira Varma. Provides commentary throughout the series, shaping the audience’s understanding of the story.
Who Are the Creators Behind ‘Disclaimer’?
“Disclaimer” marks Alfonso Cuarón’s first time writing and producing for television. While he obviously has an extensive and highly acclaimed film career, with movies like “Gravity,” “Children of Men,” and “Roma” to his name, this series for Apple TV+ is his first significant TV project as a full creator (writer, producer, and director). While he has done some work in TV in the past, like in the 1990s series “Fallen Angels,” it was purely in a directorial role.
Cuarón is taking on television alongside his frequent collaborator and longtime friend, cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki. Lubezki worked with Cuarón on “Gravity,” “Children of Men,” “Y Tu Mamá También” and “A Little Princess.”
Bruno Delbonnel, though, is a newer partner for Cuarón and a highly respected cinematographer in his own right. He’s known for his work on “Amélie,” “Inside Llewyn Davis”, and “Darkest Hour,” while “Disclaimer” will be their first TV collaboration. Cuarón’s decision to bring in both Lubezki and Delbonnel for the Apple TV+ series likely means Cuarón doesn’t want to lose his signature style in the translation from big screen to small.
What Time Will Episodes of ‘Disclaimer’ Come on Apple TV+?
While there are no exact times for when “Disclaimer” episodes will drop, we know they will debut with two episodes on Friday, Oct. 11 on Apple TV+. After the premiere, new episodes will be released weekly on Fridays, with the finale airing on Nov. 15.
Here’s the release schedule for the seven-episode series:
| Release Date | Episode Number |
|---|---|
| Friday, Oct. 11 | 1 & 2 |
| Friday, Oct. 18 | 3 |
| Friday, Oct. 25 | 4 |
| Friday, Nov. 1 | 5 |
| Friday, Nov. 8 | 6 |
| Friday, Nov. 15 | 7 |
What Other Alfonso Cuarón Titles Are Available to Stream?
If you can’t wait for “Disclaimer” and want to get your Alfonso Cuarón fix right now, check out the list of his movies below and where to stream them. Just make sure your TV is big enough to do them justice.
My favorite film of his is “Gravity.” I have vivid memories of seeing that movie at the historic Vista Theater in Los Angeles (now owned by Quentin Tarantino). I was literally on the edge of my seat the entire time– it’s a masterclass in building suspense.
Check out all of Alfonso Cuarón’s films and where to stream them below.
-
Sólo con tu pareja
September 9, 1991Tomás Tomás is a young yuppie playboy with a string of discarded girlfriends. But when Silvia, the victim of one of his adventures, tries to get revenge by typing “positive” on his AIDS test, Tomás experiences for the first time the realities of love and death.
-
A Little Princess
May 10, 1995When her father enlists to fight for the British in WWI, young Sara Crewe goes to New York to attend the same boarding school her late mother attended. She soon clashes with the severe headmistress, Miss Minchin, who attempts to stifle Sara’s creativity and sense of self-worth.
-
Great Expectations
January 30, 1998Loosely based on the Charles Dickens’ classic novel, “Great Expectations” is a sensual tale of a young man’s unforgettable passage into manhood, and the three individuals who will undeniably change his life forever. Through the surprising interactions of these vivid characters, “Great Expectations” takes a unique and contemporary look at life’s great coincidences.
-
Y Tu Mamá También
June 8, 2001In Mexico, two teenage boys and an attractive older woman embark on a road trip and learn a thing or two about life, friendship, sex, and each other.
-
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
May 31, 2004Year three at Hogwarts means new fun and challenges as Harry learns the delicate art of approaching a Hippogriff, transforming shape-shifting Boggarts into hilarity and even turning back time. But the term also brings danger: soul-sucking Dementors hover over the school, an ally of the accursed He-Who-Cannot-Be-Named lurks within the castle walls, and fearsome wizard Sirius Black escapes Azkaban. And Harry will confront them all.
Major changes come to the series with this film. Director Alfonso Cuarón provided a more mature tone to suit the material. The cast expanded with Gary Oldman as Sirius Black, David Thewlis as Remus Lupin, and Emma Thompson as Sybill Trelawney. Michael Gambon also joined the cast as Albus Dumbledore after Richard Harris’ death.
-
Children of Men
September 22, 2006In 2027, in a chaotic world in which humans can no longer procreate, a former activist agrees to help transport a miraculously pregnant woman to a sanctuary at sea, where her child’s birth may help scientists save the future of humankind.
-
Gravity
October 3, 2013Dr. Ryan Stone, a brilliant medical engineer on her first Shuttle mission, with veteran astronaut Matt Kowalsky in command of his last flight before retiring. But on a seemingly routine spacewalk, disaster strikes. The Shuttle is destroyed, leaving Stone and Kowalsky completely alone-tethered to nothing but each other and spiraling out into the blackness of space. The deafening silence tells them they have lost any link to Earth and any chance for rescue. As fear turns to panic, every gulp of air eats away at what little oxygen is left. But the only way home may be to go further out into the terrifying expanse of space.
-
Roma
November 21, 2018In 1970s Mexico City, two domestic workers help a mother of four while her husband is away for an extended period of time.
