Glenn Close Joins Cast of Apple TV+ Thriller 'Tehran'

Glenn Close is joining the cast of Apple TV+ Israeli thriller Tehran. She will be a regular in the forthcoming second season, Variety reported

Close, who has been nominated for multiple Academy Awards, will be a series regular in the upcoming second season of the show, which aired on Apple TV Plus last summer and has become a global hit for the platform. The show originally premiered on Israel’s KAN public broadcaster last June. Variety understands that Apple TV Plus picked up the title from distributor Cineflix Rights as an acquisition, but following its success for the streamer, boarded the show as a co-producer. Close is slated to play the role of Marjan Montazeri, a British woman living in Tehran, according to Apple. The first season of the series told the story of Tamar Rabinyan (Niv Sultan), a young Mossad agent undercover on a top secret mission in the heart of Tehran.

[Image credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com]

Trailer for Apple TV+ Comedy ‘Schmigadoon!’, Comedy Premieres July 16

The trailer for Apple TV+ comedy series Schmigadoon! dropped Friday. The first two episodes will air on July 16, with subsequent episodes becoming available each following Friday. It stars Cecily Strong and Keegan Michael-Key as a couple who go on a backpacking trip to try and fix their relationship, Instead, they up in a magical town living in a 1940s musical and must find “true love” in order to leave. Alan Cumming, Kristin Chenoweth, Aaron Tveit, Dove Cameron, Ariana DeBose, Fred Armisen, Jaime Camil, Jane Krakowski and Ann Harada also star.

Apple TV+: How The World of 'Physical' Was Created

In a new video, the cast and crew of new Apple TV+ show Physical reveal how they recreated 1980s California. Writer and showrunner Annie Weismann explains how her own experience with eating disorders influenced the show. The stars, including Rose Byrne and Rory Scovel, also explain what it was like heading back to 1981. The first episodes are available to subscribers now, with new ones landing each Friday, and the show is very much worth watching.

Netflix Takes Almost the Same Percentage of TV Usage as Apple TV+, HBO Max, Paramount+, Peacock and Discovery+ Combined

Latest Nielsen figures show that streaming overtook broadcast in TV usage in May. The Hollywood Reporter noted that the figures also revealed that Netflix occupied just two percent yes of that usage than a number of rivals, including Apple TV+, combined.

Netflix also has reason to tout the Nielsen findings, as they show that the company accounted for 6 percent of all TV usage in May. That’s tied with YouTube (including the YouTube TV bundle) for first among streamers; each makes up more than a fifth of all streaming time on TV. Hulu (including its live TV service) took up 3 percent of TV time, Amazon’s Prime Video 2 percent and Disney+ 1 percent. All other streaming combined — including Apple TV+, HBO Max, Paramount+, Peacock and Discovery+ — made up 8 percent of of total usage.

Get a First Glimpse of 'The Morning Show' Season Two and More in Apple TV+ Summer Preview

A newly released summer 2021 preview video gives a first look at The Morning Show season two. It looks to me like Jennifer Aniston’s Alex Levy leaves/has left the breakfast program, although no doubt there is much to play out! Other forthcoming shows and movies are also seen, including Coda, and season two of See. Ted Lasso is in there too, of course. Other items pictured, including Cherry and Palmer have long been available to subscribers. However, it all gives a hint that some announcements and launches could be imminent.

'Lisey's Story' Premieres on Apple TV+

Lisey’s Story premiered on Apple TV+ on Friday. The first two episodes are now available to subscribers. The remaining episodes of the eight-part series, an adaptation of the Stephen King novel of the same name, will be released on a weekly basis.