Buyer Database · Streaming Platform · Updated
Apple TV+
Apple TV+ is actively expanding its prestige drama slate with a newly ordered international thriller, while deepening investment in franchise series renewals and live sports rights.
Current mandate
Apple TV+ is currently in production development on Disavowed, a thriller series ordered in May 2026 featuring an undercover agent storyline with international political and criminal intrigue, anchored by prestige casting including Stellan Skarsgård, Dakota Fanning, and Joely Richardson. The order signals a continued appetite for high-concept, internationally scoped drama with marquee talent attached. A landmark reference point for the platform remains its acquisition of CODA at Sundance for a reported $25 million, a record at the time, which went on to win Best Picture. That precedent established Apple's willingness to pay premium prices for awards-caliber material.
Over the past 12 months, Apple TV+ has demonstrated a pattern of franchise investment alongside selective new-series orders. The platform renewed Bad Monkey for a second season with cast expansions including John Ortiz and Yvonne Strahovski, renewed Foundation for a fourth season, and greenlit Down Cemetery Road for a second season. It also acquired F1 The Movie and secured exclusive U.S. rights to Formula 1 races, reflecting a broader push into premium live and event content. Additional series acquisitions include Five Secrets, Last Flight Out, and La Decision, pointing to a diversified slate across drama and international content.
Screenwriters and rights holders seeking access to Apple TV+ should approach through established representation, as the platform operates through agency and management channels. The Disavowed order demonstrates that Apple is receptive to international thriller material with strong casting packages already in place. Tracking the platform's development executives and production partners through industry directories and festival markets remains the most reliable pathway for unsolicited material to find a route in.
Signature peaks
- $25 million CODA acquisition price — Record Sundance acquisition; went on to win Best Picture
- 357M minutes Hijack finale viewing — Ranked eighth among originals; first Apple TV+ show outside Ted Lasso in Nielsen top 10
- 603 Decision makers tracked — Active contacts across Apple TV+ tracked in the past 12 months
Mandate dimensions
- Genre focus
- drama, comedy, thriller, sci-fi
- Territory focus
- worldwide
- Budget tier (observed)
- Not disclosed
- Access pattern
- Represented packages with talent attached; agency and management channels; festival markets (notably Sundance); production partner relationships
- Deal structure
- Acquisitions and series orders at undisclosed budgets; one publicly sourced acquisition price of $25 million (CODA at Sundance); worldwide territory; no disclosed standard deal terms for series orders
Recent acquisitions
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Bad Monkey (Season 2) – John Ortiz promotion
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Bad Monkey Season 2 series-regular role for Yvonne Strahovski
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CODA
"Despite its newcomer status and smaller number of films than streaming competitors, Apple has already released a best picture winner, 2021’s CODA, which the studio acquired at Sundance for a record $25 million."
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Disavowed
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Down Cemetery Road Season 2
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exclusive U.S. rights to Formula 1 races
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exclusive US rights to motor racing championship Formula 1
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F1 The Movie
Market context
Hijack became the first Apple TV+ show other than Ted Lasso to enter Nielsen's weekly top 10 original series rankings, signaling incremental traction for Apple TV+ originals in U.S. streaming viewership.
Apple TV+ is currently in production development on Disavowed, a thriller series ordered in May 2026 featuring an undercover agent storyline with international political and criminal intrigue, anchored by prestige casting including Stellan Skarsgård, Dakota Fanning, and Joely Richardson. The order signals a continued appetite for high-concept, internationally scoped drama with marquee talent attached. A landmark reference point for the platform remains its acquisition of CODA at Sundance for a reported $25 million, a record at the time, which went on to win Best Picture. That precedent established Apple's willingness to pay premium prices for awards-caliber material.
Common questions about Apple TV+
Does Apple TV+ accept unsolicited scripts?
Apple TV+ does not have a publicized open-submission policy and operates through established industry channels. All known recent orders, including the Disavowed thriller series and Bad Monkey Season 2, have come through represented talent and production partners. Writers without agency or management representation are advised to secure it before attempting to reach Apple TV+ development. Attaching recognizable talent to a package, as Disavowed did with Stellan Skarsgård, Dakota Fanning, and Joely Richardson, appears to be a meaningful factor in getting material considered.
What budgets does Apple TV+ work with?
Apple TV+ does not publicly disclose production budgets for its series or films. Its acquisition of CODA at Sundance for a reported $25 million remains the one publicly sourced figure in recent coverage, and it was described as a record at the time. The platform's slate, which includes franchise series like Foundation and event acquisitions like F1 The Movie and exclusive U.S. Formula 1 rights, suggests a willingness to commit significant resources, though no per-project figures for series orders have been confirmed in available reporting.
Does Apple TV+ acquire films or series at festivals?
Apple TV+ has a documented history of festival acquisitions. Its purchase of CODA at Sundance for a reported $25 million is the clearest on-record example and resulted in a Best Picture win. The platform's continued interest in prestige, awards-oriented material suggests festival markets remain a viable access point, particularly for films with strong critical positioning. No additional festival acquisitions are confirmed in the most recent 12-month activity window, but the historical precedent makes Sundance and comparable markets worth targeting for qualifying projects.
How do I reach Apple TV+ decision makers?
Apple TV+ development and acquisitions executives are most reliably reached through talent agencies and management companies representing writers, directors, and producers. The platform has 603 decision makers tracked across recent activity, according to available data. Industry events, festival markets, and co-production forums are secondary access points. The Disavowed order, which came with a full prestige cast already attached, illustrates that packaging material before submission significantly improves the likelihood of engagement from Apple TV+ development.
What genres is Apple TV+ focused on right now?
Apple TV+'s most recent series order, Disavowed, is a thriller drama with an undercover agent storyline and international political and criminal intrigue, indicating active interest in high-concept prestige drama. The platform's recent slate also includes franchise sci-fi (Foundation Season 4), drama (Bad Monkey Season 2, Down Cemetery Road Season 2), and event/sports content (F1 The Movie, exclusive U.S. Formula 1 rights). The Hijack viewership milestone further reinforces that taut, internationally flavored thriller content is performing well for the platform.
Is Apple TV+ currently active in acquisitions?
Yes. Apple TV+ shows a deal velocity of 4 in the past 30 days and 5 unique deals in the past 90 days, with the latest tracked signal dated June 29, 2026. Recent activity includes the May 2026 order of Disavowed, cast expansions on Bad Monkey Season 2 in September 2025, a Foundation Season 4 renewal, and the acquisition of exclusive U.S. Formula 1 broadcast rights. Across 880 total records in the past 12 months, the platform is operating as an active buyer across scripted drama, film, and live sports.
Adjacent buyers in this lane
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