Apple TV+ continues to expand its lineup with bold, genre-spanning original content, new examples of which include a pair of upcoming series: The sci-fi thrill ride Murderbot, starring Alexander Skarsgård, and the feel-good sports comedy Stick, starring Owen Wilson.
Apple has teased first looks at both shows — which arrive in May and June, respectively — and we’ll take a closer look at both of them below.
Murderbot (May 16)
Apple TV+ has certainly been on a tear of late thanks to its top-tier sci-fi programming like Severance, the dystopian workplace drama that just became Apple’s most-watched series since its launch. Meanwhile, another highly anticipated sci-fi drama is also just around the corner to join the likes of Foundation, For All Mankind, and Silo.
Based on Martha Wells’ acclaimed The Murderbot Diaries book series, Murderbot stars Alexander Skarsgård as a rogue security android struggling with its own evolving humanity. The story follows an AI-enhanced security robot that hacks its own programming, gains independence, and finds itself more interested in consuming media than in following orders. But when a dangerous conspiracy threatens the humans it’s assigned to protect, Murderbot must reluctantly step up.
The series is expected to blend high-stakes action with the existential themes of identity and free will. “Played by Skarsgård,” Apple explains, “Murderbot must hide its free will and complete a dangerous assignment when all it really wants is to be left alone to watch futuristic soap operas and figure out its place in the universe.”
The 10-episode series comes from Academy Award-nominated creators and directors Chris and Paul Weitz (About a Boy, Mozart in the Jungle). Also of note: David S. Goyer is an executive producer for the series, Goyer being the showrunner and executive producer for a separate Apple TV+ hit — Foundation.
Stick (June 4)
On the lighter side, Apple also has a sports comedy in the works starring Owen Wilson as a former golf pro who makes an unexpected comeback — and sports comedy, I shouldn’t need to remind you, is what helped put Apple TV+ on the map in the first place (via Ted Lasso).
In Stick, Wilson plays an over-the-hill, ex-pro golfer named Pryce Cahill, whose career got prematurely derailed 20 years ago. Explains Apple: “After the collapse of his marriage and getting fired from his job at an Indiana sporting goods store, Pryce hedges his bets, and future, entirely on a troubled 17-year-old golf phenom named Santi (Peter Dager). Stick is a heartfelt, feel-good comedy about a found family and their relationships set within the world of golf as it has never been shown before.”
In addition to Wilson and Dager, the ensemble cast includes Marc Maron, Mariana Treviño, Lilli Kay, Judy Greer, and Timothy Olyphant.
Whether you’re in the mood for robot-led action or some offbeat laughs on the golf course, Apple TV+ has you covered. Keep an eye out for Murderbot and Stick — two wildly different but equally exciting additions to the platform’s growing slate.
