During Apple’s WWDC 2024 announcement event – where Apple gave us our first looks at iOS 18 on iPhone, macOS 15 for Macs, and tvOS 18 for Apple TV – Apple gave us a look at a host of upcoming Apple TV Plus movies and movies shows, including the much-anticipated (but so far elusive) Disconnection season 2, as well Silo season 2, and Slow horses season 4.
That was on top of the looks at Natalie Portman’s murder mystery Lady in the lakeseveral clips of Matt Damon and Hong Chau in heist comedy The instigatorsa few seconds Shrink season 2 with Harrison Ford and Jason Segel bickering, plus Vince Vaughan (briefly) in comedy drama Bad monkey from the maker of Ted Lasso.
There was too Dark matter, Presumably innocentthe new season of Pachinkomoon landing comedy Fly me to the moonand the crime comedy Wolfs by George Clooney and Brad Pitt (which already has a full trailer, so less exciting).
You can watch here starting at six minutes.
The Disconnection a glimpse was really just that: a glimpse. We saw Adam Scott’s Mark return to the office, welcomed by Milchik – “It’s been a minute” – before waking up at the interview/meeting table in different outfits. Some close-ups also flash between office Mark and another Mark with wires attached to his head – we’re sure to see a further blurring of his mental state.
SiloThe quick shots showed Rebecca Ferguson pensive (shocking) and Tim Robbins promising that people would get out of the silo safely.
Slow horsesA few shots featured Kristin Scott Thomas and Gary Oldman praising someone off-screen. We assume it will be a much more satisfying moment with some context…
The new HBO
Apple made it a point to emphasize how high the quality of the shows and movies are. The company showed statistics (above) claiming that its shows are the highest rated by viewers among the major streamers, and then highlighted the litany of awards and nominations it has racked up, including the Oscar for Best Picture for CODA.
Apple is a long way from claiming that Apple TV Plus is the most popular streaming service, despite offering more free trials and bundled subscriptions than any Apple fan knows – but it is right that it has successfully built a reputation for quality. Just as HBO is known as a place to find carefully crafted and interesting programming for adults, Apple TV Plus does the same, and succeeds.
There have been bumps along the way, including claims that corporate ownership interfered with Jon Steward’s reporting on his current affairs program – but there has been less drama with its fiction. Apart from the dramas, of course.