Morten Tyldum to direct pilot for Cape Fear series at Apple TV+; plus CCH Pounder joins the cast (2025)

Variety reports that Morten Tyldum has been tapped to direct the pilot for Apple’s upcoming Cape Fear series and executive produce. Additionally, the great CCH Pounder has joined the cast, which includes Javier Bardem, Amy Adams, and Patrick Wilson.

Based on John D. MacDonald’s 1957 novel The Executioners, Cape Fear “will follow what unfolds after killer Max Cady (Bardem) is released from prison and seeks out the Bowdens (Adams, Wilson), whom he blames for his sentence.” The 10-episode series has been described as a tense, Hitchcockian thriller that will examine America’s obsession with true crime in the 21st century. It’s not known who Pounder will play in the series, but she’s always a very welcome addition to any project.

Tyldum has plenty of small-screen experience under his belt. He directed all eight episodes of Apple’s Defending Jacob miniseries, helmed three episodes of Silo (also on Apple TV+), and directed the pilot episode of Prime Video’s Jack Ryan series starring Jack Krasinski.

Nick Antosca is writing the new Cape Fear series and will also executive produce alongside Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Javier Bardem, Amy Adams, Alex Hedlund, Darryl Frank, and Justin Falvey. The original novel was first adapted in 1962 into a movie starring Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum. In 1991, Martin Scorsese directed a remake starring Robert De Niro, Nick Nolte, and Jessica Lange. The story was also spoofed by The Simpsons in the fifth season with Cape Feare, one of the show’s best episodes. I’ve never looked at a rake the same way again.

Pounder will next be seen starring alongside Liam Neeson, Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser, and Danny Huston in The Naked Gun. The reboot/sequel stars Neeson as Lt. Frank Drebin Jr., who is set to follow in his father’s footsteps by leading the Police Squad and saving the world. The first teaser trailer was released last week (plus we also saw an extended look at CinemaCon), and it looked like a blast. The film will be released on August 1st. Pounder will also reprise the role of Mo’at in James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash, which will hit theaters on December 19th.