Less than a month from the official debut of Apple TV +, the news about the original Apple content platform does not stop – today, we have new hires, good news for the company’s cinematic plans and a new trailer for one of the most awaited series of the service.
Let’s take a look at everything.
«Swagger»
According to the Variety, Apple hired the actor Winston Duke (recently seen in “Black Panther” and “We”) to star in the series «Swagger», based on the life and youth experiences of the basketball star Kevin Durant.
Duke will bring the main character of the series to life: Ike, a basketball coach who was previously a sports star.
The production, as we have already informed, will revolve around a group of young players, their coaches and agents, in addition to their family relationships and personal conflicts.
The series will be written and directed by Reggie Rock Bythewood (“Fired Shots”) and produced by Brian Grazer (“Friday Night Lights”).
The rest of the cast has not yet been released, and we will still have to wait a little while the production debuts on the Apple platform.
«The Banker»
Meanwhile, one of Apple’s first original fictional films (which will open in theaters in December, as we reported) won an important distinction.
According to Hollywood Reporter, «The Banker» will be the closing film of AFI Fest 2019, this year’s edition of the prestigious American Film Institute film festival.
The film will be shown on the last day of the festival, in November 21st – about three weeks before it was launched on the commercial circuit, on the December 6.
The news is encouraging for Apple because the invitation to close an important festival lends support for the film to take off during the awards season, attracting the attention of critics and voters of trophies such as the Golden Globe and the Oscars.
«The Banker», as we already reported, is run by George Nolfi, and star Samuel L.
Jackson and Anthony Mackie in the roles of two African-American entrepreneurs trying to overcome racial limitations in Texas in the 1950s.
The story is based on a real case, in which the entrepreneurs employed a white man (here lived by Nicholas Hoult, from “X-Men: Dark Phoenix”) to pretend to be the head of the empire they built.
AFI Fest director Michael Lumpkin defined the film with the following words:
«The Banker» joins a remarkable group of films released this year that openly confront centuries of racism and injustice in our country, while celebrating the brave individuals whose activism has created real change.
Cheery, isn’t it?
«Servant»
Finally, Apple released a new teaser for «Servant», the horror series directed by M.
Night Shyamalan («The sixth Sense»).
Check it out:
The small clip bets on a disturbing atmosphere while female hands take care of a baby – who, in fact, is not a baby, but the doll called «Jericho», which will play an important role in the series’ unfolding.
Production, as we know, will be starring Toby Kebbell («Fantastic Four»), Lauren Ambrose (“A Sete Palmos”) and Rupert Grint (from the «Harry Potter» series).
«Servant» will debut on the day November 28th, almost a month after the launch of Apple TV +.
