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In what seems like a coup for Apple TV+, Academy Award winner Javier Bardem will take on one of cinema’s most iconic villain roles in a new series adaptation of Cape Fear, according to new reports. He’ll play Max Cady, of course. That’s the character made infamous in earlier film versions by Robert Mitchum in 1962 and Robert De Niro in 1991. (And who could forget Sideshow Bob’s version of Cady from The Simpsons‘ “Cape Feare” spoof episode in 1993.)
The announcement comes as Bardem makes waves with his television debut in Netflix’s Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.
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Javier Bardem in Cape Fear series on Apple TV+: He plays the villain, of course
Apple TV+ has greenlit a 10-episode series promising to bring a fresh perspective to the classic thriller Cape Fear. It will explore America’s contemporary fascination with true crime, The Hollywood Reporter and other publications noted. The project boasts an impressive pedigree, with both Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg serving as executive producers. Scorsese, who directed the acclaimed 1991 film version, certainly brings his understanding of the source material.
Nick Antosca, known for compelling true crime dramas A Friend of the Family and The Act, will serve as showrunner and writer. The series follows attorneys Amanda and Steve Bowden, whose lives are upended when Cady (Bardem) — a dangerous criminal from their past — gets out of prison.
Fans of the older film versions will enjoy seeing if the Spanish actor can fill Mitchum and De Niro’s shoes (not fair to count Sideshow Bob here — because of his oversized clown shoes, natch — but hat tip to Cult of Mac’s Ed Hardy for reminding me of the Simpsons episode). And Bardem might just pull it off. His turn as a cattle gun-wielding psycho with a bad haircut in the Coen brothers’ No Country for Old Men thrilled and chilled audiences. And he won an Oscar for it, too.
Photo: Fox
More from big-time Apple TV+ collaborators
For Apple TV+ subscribers, this series represents another prestigious addition to the platform’s growing catalog. The project reunites Apple with several successful collaborators, including Amblin Television, fresh off their triumph with Masters of the Air, and Scorsese, who recently delivered the Oscar-nominated Killers of the Flower Moon to the streaming service.
The series draws inspiration from John D. MacDonald’s novel The Executioners and its subsequent film adaptations. It promises to deliver a “tense, Hitchcockian thriller” updated for modern audiences.
Bardem is currently working on another Apple project — the upcoming racing feature F1, starring Brad Pitt. The new Cape Fear series marks a significant expansion of his relationship with the iPhone giant’s entertainment division. UCP and Amblin Television will produce the series. Additional executive producers include Alex Hedlund, Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey.