Javier Bardem in “Cape Fear.”
Apple TV
The psychological thriller Cape Fear is back, this time as a streaming series starring Amy Adams, Javier Bardem and Patrick Wilson.
Based on John D. McDonald’s 1957 novel The Executioners and the screenplays for the 1962 version of Cape Fear (starring Robert Mitchum, Gregory Peck and Polly Bergen) and its 1991 remake (starring Robert De Niro, Nick Nolte and Jessica Lange), the series version of Cape Fear premiered on Apple TV on Friday.
In the series, the past comes back to haunt married attorneys Tom and Anna Bowden (Wilson and Adams) when Max Cady (Bardem), a violent psychopath they help put in prison 17 years before, finds his way to freedom. When Cady locates the Bowdens, he begins to terrorize the couple and their two children but in a way where he eludes the law at every turn.
Cape Fear Season 1 also stars Lily Colias and Joe Anders as the Bowdens’ children, Natalie and Zack, as well as CCH Pounder as Anna’s colleague, Noa Toussaint.
In an interview with USA Today about playing Cady in the Cape Fear series, Bardem said he was initially hesitant to take the role, first made famous by Robert Mitchum in 1962 before De Niro brought it to another level three decades later.
“At first I was like, I’m not even going to touch that,” Bardem told USA Today. “It’s so iconic and so for the ages.”
However, after watching The Making of Cape Fear documentary, which chronicled director Martin Scorese’s 1991 version of the film, Bardem took the words spoken by the legendary filmmaker to heart. “He said, ‘Every 30 years, this story should be done for a new generation,’” Bardem recalled for USA Today. “And I thought, ‘Wow, it’s been 30 years exactly. It’s an entirely new version.’ So, I took it.”
‘Cape Fear’ Arrives With A Two-Episode Premiere
Created by Nick Antosca and executive produced by Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg, Cape Fear Season 1 begins with the first two of its 10 episodes on Friday on Apple TV.
New episodes will be released weekly on Friday through July 31. Including Friday’s premiere episodes, here is a rundown of Cape Fear’s release schedule:
- Episode 1: Fingers & Toes – June 5
- Episode 2: Why Would I Want to Hurt You? – June 5
- Episode 3: Phantom Sensations – June 12
- Episode 4: Title To Be Announced – June 19
- Episode 5: Title TBA – June 26
- Episode 6: Title TBA – July 3
- Episode 7: Title TBA – July 10
- Episode 8: Title TBA – July 17
- Episode 9: Title TBA – July 24
- Episode 10: Title TBA – July 31
New episodes for Cape Fear Season 1 will begin streaming every Friday at 3 a.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.