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Cape Fear release schedule: When are new episodes out on Apple TV?

The classic thriller is reborn for television.

Published: Friday, 10 July 2026 at 10:35 am

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The third on-screen adaptation of Cape Fear, a 10-part series for Apple TV, is continuing to air weekly, with Javier Bardem becoming the third actor to portray the captivating and fear-inducing Max Cady.

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Bardem told Radio Times that he was adamant about putting his own spin on the character, making him distinct from Robert Mitchum and Robert De Niro's takes.

Bardem explained: "We tried to find something that was exciting to play and to hold for 10 episodes, that didn't have anything to do with what we've already seen on De Niro or Mitchum."

He also expanded on the thinking behind Cady's appearance – tattoos, scars and piercing blue eyes – in this version.

"And this idea of this look — also, he's the son of an American and Spanish, so it has to be something combined, like the colour of the eyes," Bardem continued.

"He has a very horrible wound in his head, and that should be reflected in some way, somehow — in his eyes, maybe. So, yeah, those are the fun elements to play with. It's like a toy that you play with, and then one day it all comes together."

Around Bardem, an all-star cast has assembled, with Amy Adams playing Anna Bowden and and Patrick Wilson playing her husband Tom.

But when will new episodes of Cape Fear become available to watch on Apple TV? Read on for your guide to the Cape Fear release schedule.

How many episodes are in Cape Fear season 1?

Javier Bardem’s Max Cady, with cropped dark hair and a beard, leans in close to a wary Amy Adams in a dim, green-lit corridor scene from Cape Fear (2026).

Javier Bardem and Amy Adams in Cape Fear. Apple TV

Cape Fear season 1 consists of 10 episodes.

The limited series launches with a double bill on Apple TV, before moving to a weekly release pattern every Friday.

That means viewers will be spending most of the summer with Max Cady and the Bowdens, with the series running from early June through to the end of July.

Cape Fear release schedule: When are new episodes out on Apple TV?

The first two episodes of Cape Fear arrived together on Friday 5 June 2026, with the remaining episodes then landing weekly.

Barring any surprise schedule changes, here's when you can expect each episode to land:

What is Cape Fear about?

Patrick Wilson in a white shirt, Amy Adams in a pink checked shirt and Lily Collias in a white T-shirt stand on the Bowden family porch in Cape Fear (2026), all staring tensely off-screen.

Patrick Wilson, Amy Adams and Lily Collias in Cape Fear (2026). Apple TV

Cape Fear follows Anna and Tom Bowden, a married couple and pair of attorneys whose lives are upended when Max Cady is released from prison.

Cady is a convicted killer with a connection to the Bowdens' past – and once he is free, he begins forcing his way into their lives, targeting not only the couple but their family.

The story has, of course, been told on screen before, first in the 1962 film starring Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum, and later in Scorsese's 1991 version, which starred Nick Nolte, Jessica Lange and Robert De Niro.

But this new version expands the story for television, giving the familiar cat-and-mouse thriller more room to explore guilt, revenge, justice and the psychological fallout of Cady's return.

In a twist unique to this adaptation, Cady is released from prison having apparently been exonerated of his crimes – as opposed to being freed having served his sentence – opening up questions around motive, blame and the fallibility of the justice system.

Alongside Bardem, Adams and Wilson, the cast also includes Joe Anders, Lily Collias, Malia Pyles, CCH Pounder, Jamie Hector and Anna Baryshnikov.

Read more:

Cape Fear continues on Apple TV on Fridays. Start your seven-day free Apple TV trial at Apple.

Add Cape Fear to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.

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Authors

Morgan Jeffery

Morgan Jeffery

Morgan Jeffery is as a TV and Film expert and has appeared on BBC Breakfast, BBC Radio 5 Live and Sky Atlantic.

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