The quality Apple TV+ programming continues this month with the debut of a movie, the premiere of a new show, and the return of two series. The Apple TV Plus April 2024 lineup includes the streaming debut of Matthew Vaughn’s Argylle, the limited series Franklin, and the second seasons of Jane and The Big Door Prize.
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APPLE TV PLUS APRIL 2024 HIGHLIGHTS
AVAILABLE APRIL 12
Argylle
Bryce Dallas Howard plays Elly Conway, the reclusive cat-loving author of a series of bestselling espionage novels about the impossibly glamorous secret agent Argylle (Henry Cavill), who’s on a mission to unravel a nefarious spy syndicate. When Elly, with the help of feline-hating real-life spy Aidan (Sam Rockwell), discovers that her story mirrors the actions of an actual spy organization, a dangerous game of cat and mouse ensues.
To stay one step ahead of the syndicate’s assassins while also working to prevent a global crisis, these two unlikely conspirators—accompanied by Alfie the cat—find themselves in an adventure story of their own.
“Argylle” is directed by Matthew Vaughn from a screenplay by Jason Fuchs and features a star-studded ensemble that includes Howard, Cavill, Rockwell, John Cena, Ariana DeBose, Richard E. Grant, Dua Lipa, Bryan Cranston, Catherine O’Hara, Sofia Boutella, Samuel L. Jackson, and Chip, the real-life cat of supermodel Claudia Vaughn (née Schiffer).
An Apple Studios production in association with MARV, “Argylle” is directed and produced by Matthew Vaughn. It is also produced by Cloudy Productions, Matthew Vaughn’s regular collaborators Adam Bohling and David Reid, and Fuchs. Claudia Vaughn, Carlos Peres, Zygi Kamasa, and Adam Fishbach serve as executive producers.
Franklin
“Franklin” is an eight-part limited series starring and executive produced by Academy, Emmy, and AFI Lifetime Achievement Award winner Michael Douglas. Douglas will play Benjamin Franklin in the title role. The series will premiere globally on Apple TV+, with the first three episodes on Friday, April 12, followed by one new episode every Friday through May 17, 2024.
Based on Pulitzer Prize winner Stacy Schiff’s book A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France, and the Birth of America, “Franklin” explores the thrilling story of the greatest gamble of Benjamin Franklin’s career. In December 1776, Franklin was world famous for his electrical experiments, but his passion and power were put to the test when, as the fate of American independence hung in the balance, he embarked on a secret mission to France.
At age 70, without any diplomatic training, Franklin convinced an absolute monarchy to underwrite America’s experiment in democracy. By virtue of his fame, charisma, and ingenuity, Franklin outmaneuvered British spies, French informers, and hostile colleagues to engineer the Franco-American Alliance of 1778 and the peace treaty with Great Britain in 1783.
The eight-year French mission stands as Franklin’s most vital service to his country. Diplomats and historians still regard it as the greatest single tour of duty by an ambassador in our nation’s history, as without French aid, America could not have won the Revolution.
The drama also stars Noah Jupe (“A Quiet Place”) as Temple Franklin, Thibault de Montalembert (“Call My Agent!”) as comte de Vergennes, Daniel Mays (“Line of Duty”) as Edward Bancroft, Ludivine Sagnier (“Lupin”) as Madame Brillon, Eddie Marsan (“Ray Donovan”) as John Adams, Assaad Bouab (“Call My Agent!”) as Beaumarchais, Jeanne Balibar (“Irma Vep”) as Madame Helvetius, and Théodore Pellerin (“There’s Someone Inside Your House”) as Marquis de Lafayette.
In addition to Douglas, the creative team includes Emmy and WGA Award-winning writer and executive producer Kirk Ellis (“John Adams”) and Emmy, WGA, and Pulitzer Prize Award-nominated writer and executive producer Howard Korder (“Boardwalk Empire”).
Emmy and DGA Award-winning director Tim Van Patten (“Masters of the Air,” “The Sopranos”) serves as director and executive producer. Richard Plepler executive produces through EDEN Productions, Tony Krantz through Flame Ventures, Philippe Maigret through ITV Studios America, and Mark Mostyn also executive produces. Schiff also serves as co-executive producer.
“Franklin” is a co-production between ITV Studios America and Apple Studios.
AVAILABLE APRIL 19
Jane Season 2
The mission-driven, Emmy Award-winning “Jane” is inspired by the work of world-renowned ethologist and conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and a United Nations Messenger of Peace. The five-episode second season comes from Emmy Award winner J.J. Johnson (“Dino Dana,” “Endlings,” “Ghostwriter”), Sinking Ship Entertainment, and the Jane Goodall Institute.
Ava Louise Murchison (“Reacher”) stars as Jane Garcia, a 9-year-old budding environmentalist on a quest to save endangered animals. Using her powerful imagination, Jane takes her best friends David, played by Mason Blomberg (“Shameless”), and Greybeard the chimpanzee on epic adventures to help protect wild animals all around the world.
“Jane” marks the second Apple Original series produced by Sinking Ship Entertainment, joining the acclaimed Daytime Emmy Award-winning series “Ghostwriter.” From Sinking Ship Entertainment, “Jane,” a live-action/CGI blended series, is created by company partner Johnson, who executive produces alongside Christin Simms, Blair Powers, Matt Bishop, and the Jane Goodall Institute’s Andria Teather.
The series recently won a Children’s and Family Emmy Award for Outstanding Visual Effects for a Live Action Program and was recognized by the Environmental Media Association Awards in the Children’s Television category.
AVAILABLE APRIL 24
The Big Door Prize Season 2
“The Big Door Prize” is the critically acclaimed and character-driven comedy from Emmy Award-winning creator David West Read (“Schitt’s Creek”). The 10-episode second season will premiere globally on Apple TV+ on Wednesday, April 24, with three episodes, followed by one new episode every Wednesday through June 12, 2024.
Based on M.O. Walsh’s novel, “The Big Door Prize,” season two follows the residents of Deerfield as the Morpho machine readies them for the mysterious “next stage.” As everyone’s potentials are exchanged for visions, new relationships form, and new questions are asked.
Dusty (Chris O’Dowd) and Cass (Gabrielle Dennis) decide to take time apart while Trina (Djouliet Amara) and Jacob (Sammy Fourlas) learn that they can shed their old labels. Giorgio (Josh Segarra) and Izzy (Crystal Fox) each find romance, while Hana (Ally Maki) and Father Reuben (Damon Gupton) attempt to discover the purpose of the machine.
Residents of the small town are once again left questioning what they thought they knew about their lives, relationships, potential, and the Morpho itself. “The Big Door Prize” features an ensemble cast led by Emmy Award winner O’Dowd, Dennis, Maki, Gupton, Segarra, Fox, Fourlas, and Amara and is produced by Skydance Television and CJ ENM/Studio Dragon.
Season two welcomes new and returning guest stars, including Justine Lupe, Aaron Roman Weiner, Mary Holland, Patrick Kerr, Cocoa Brown, Carrie Barrett, Elizabeth Hunter, Jim Meskimen, Matt Dellapina, and Melissa Ponzio.
Read serves as showrunner and executive producer alongside David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Matt Thunell for Skydance Television; Miky Lee, Jey-hyun Kim, and Hyun Park for Studio Dragon; and Bill Bost and Sarah Walker. Steven Tsuchida, Heather Jack, Jordan Canning, Satya Bhabha, and Declan Lowney direct the series.
Mirko Parlevliet has been reporting on the entertainment industry since 1998 and founded Vital Thrills in 2018 to cover the latest news on streaming, movies, TV, and video games.