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Everything To Know About Sydney Sweeney’s Americana(Photo Credit –Instagram)

Sydney Sweeney is swapping glam for grit in Americana, a genre-bending crime thriller that finally gets its big-screen moment today. Two years after making noise at SXSW, this neo-Western ride is ready to charge into theaters with a plot involving stolen artifacts and shady deals. Helmed by Tony Tost in his directorial debut, the film wrangles an eclectic cast. It throws them into a violent tug-of-war over a piece of history.

Americana: Release Date

Originally marked for August 22, 2025, Americana now rides into U.S. theaters a week earlier on August 15, 2025. Lionsgate is rolling it out across roughly 2,800 screens, aiming to capture late-summer crowds looking for action with an edge. The move comes after Lionsgate acquired worldwide distribution rights in March 2024, over a year after the film’s SXSW debut. UK release details remain unconfirmed, leaving international audiences waiting...

When DC Studios revealed the movies and TV shows that will be part of "Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters" slate at the start of 2023, The Brave and the Bold was among the biggest surprises. We expected Batman to be included in that, but jumping straight into a story about the hero training his son, Damian, as Robin is undeniably intriguing. 

Matt Reeves' The Batman Part II will be released in theaters in 2027, and DC Studios co-ceo and Superman director James Gunn has said repeatedly that Robert Pattinson will not don the cape and cowl in the Dcu. 

So, who should play this iconic character? We're expecting Batman to be a little older than David Corenswet's Man of Steel, so that automatically eliminates a lot of otherwise exciting possibilities. This role isn't an easy one for any actor to make their own, given the baggage it brings with it, but...

Actor Taron Egerton may currently be starring in Apple TV+’s hit true-crime series, Smoke, but it’s his 2023 feature film that’s dominating the streaming charts. While Egerton may have wowed audiences in 2019’s Rocketman, playing Elton John, fans are checking out his portrayal of an iconic video game designer.

Tetris, which stars Egerton as the founder of Bullet Proof Software and The Tetris Company, is now, per FlixPatrol, the tenth most-streamed movie on Apple TV+ as of Aug. 13.Tetris, directed by Jon S. Baird and written by Noah Pink, is just behind Ghosted and Killers of the Flower Moon among movies streaming on Apple TV+.

The film also stars Toby Jones, Oleg Stefan, Nikita Efremov, Sofia Lebedeva, and Anthony Boyle. Based on the true story of Henk’s journey to license and patent Tetris from the Cold War-era 1980s Russia, Tetris follows Egerton's Henk Rogers character, who discovers...

If you’re looking for bite-sized weekend binge shows on Apple TV+, we’ve got you covered. The channel has some brilliant shows that offer sharp and engaging storylines that can be wrapped up in a weekend.

Whether it’s drama you’re craving, or comedy, mystery, or thriller, there is something for everyone. Immerse yourself in an interesting watch this weekend and unwind with the most captivating stories the channel has to offer.

Black Bird on Apple TV+ GenreThrillerCreated ByDennis LehaneCastTaron Egerton, Paul Walter HauserRelease DateJuly 8, 2022IMDb/Rt score8.1 IMDb/98% Rt

With a Rotten Tomatoes score of 98%, Black Bird is a true crime drama series that is based on Jimmy Keene’s real story. Paul Walter Hauser and Taron Egerton play the pivotal roles in the series.

Taron Egerton in Black Bird (Credit: Apple TV+)

Egerton plays the role of a man who needs to coax a confession out of a suspected serial killer,...

The idea that Taron Egerton doesn’t see himself as James Bond is, frankly, baffling. The actor has every tool in the shed: charm, grit, screen presence, dramatic range, and yet he insists he wouldn’t be a “good choice for it”. That’s not humility; it’s probably hesitation dressed in modesty. With Denis Villeneuve officially announced to direct the next installment of the franchise and Amazon eager to revamp 007 for a new era, casting someone like Egerton isn’t just a safe bet; it’s the smart one.

Yes, Egerton has shrugged off the rumors, saying (via Collider):

I really love James Bond and particularly Daniel Craig’s tenure. But I think I wouldn’t be good at it, and I think there’s so many cool, younger actors who would be great for it. I think it would be wasted on me, probably.

But wait,...

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Stop me if you've heard this one before. A drifter or outlaw is on a perilous journey with a young partner, who is either his literal or spiritual son/daughter. It's a common formula not tied to any specific genre. You can see it in gangster movies ("Road to Perdition"), Westerns ("True Grit"), science-fiction, superhero stories ("Logan") and more.

The best version of it isn't an action story but a road trip black comedy: Peter Bogdanovich's "Paper Moon," about con artist Moze Pray and his maybe daughter Addie (Ryan and Tatum O'Neal) driving through Great Depression-era Kansas. The legacy of "Paper Moon" lives on to this day. It has inspired recent stories including a key episode of "Andor," and the new Neo-Western crime thriller, "She Rides Shotgun."

Based on Jordan Harper's page-turning, bite-sized novel, "She Rides Shotgun" begins...

As of August 1, seven of the total nine episodes of the Apple TV+ crime thriller Smoke have aired. The series marks the second team-up between Taron Egerton and writer Dennis Lehane, following the huge success of their previous Apple TV+ series, Black Bird. With just two episodes remaining, tensions are higher than ever, although the quality, according to fans, is not.

Compared to the near-perfect 98% score earned by Black Bird, Smoke's critics' rating on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes is just 71%, although it's the audience score that poses the most concern. Since its opening episode, Smoke's audience score has continued to drop, with it now falling below the 50% mark ahead of the final two episodes. Not only is this the lowest audience score in Egerton's television career, albeit from just a few small-screen projects, but it's also one of his worst scores compared to his film work. 49% is...

Right before he reteamed with Dennis Lehane for the miniseries Smoke, Taron Egerton produced an independent passion project known as She Rides Shotgun.

Adapted from Jordan Harper’s book of the same name, Egerton also stars in the Nick Rowland-directed crime drama as an ex-con named Nate McClusky. Fresh out of prison, Nate — who’s been absent for the majority of his 10-year-old daughter Polly’s life — catches her off guard when he arrives at her school to pick her up in place of her mom. In a revelatory performance by Ana Sophia Heger, Polly quickly deduces that something has gone terribly wrong, forcing the estranged father and daughter to hit the road and fend off danger at every turn.

To prepare for the modern-day tale — albeit one with shades of Westerns and thrillers from the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s — Egerton opened up his Rolodex and asked a few...

Slowly but steadily, Apple TV+ has cultivated a reputation for producing prestige programming. But one stunning miniseries has flown under the radar- Black Bird. The six-episode miniseries has a 98% critics and a 95% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. This gripping psychological drama starring Taron Egerton and Paul Walter Hauser is a hidden gem because it delivers an emotionally charged true story based on the life of a convicted drug dealer, James Keene.

One day, he gets the chance to escape the hellhole he is in, but there’s a catch. He can only get that redemption if he can successfully get into a maximum-security prison and make a suspected serial killer confess. Developed by Dennis Lehane, Black Bird delivers a mega punch of moral complexity combined with a haunting atmosphere and character-driven storytelling.

Apple TV+ is quite new to the territory of production houses like Warner Bros. and Disney, which have existed for generations.

James Bond ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

It’s been four years since Daniel Craig’s No Time to Die hit theatres. While it’s confirmed that Dune helmer Denis Villeneuve will direct the next installment, there’s still no official word on who will step into the role of the next James Bond. But now, one fan-favorite contender has pulled himself out of the 007 race. Read on to find out who that actor is, and who else is still in the running to play the iconic spy.

#Nw #NoTimeToDie pic.twitter.com/v1uN9ZjDVc

— Optimus Rhyme (@Randy_Little) November 21, 2024

This Golden Globe Winner Won’t Be The Next James Bond

According to a recent report by Collider, the Golden Globe-winning actor Taron Egerton hinted that he won’t be playing the lead role in the next James Bond movie. About the prospects of him starring as 007, the Welsh actor candidly confessed,...

Director Tony Tost reimagines the modern-day American west as a murderous game of cat and mouse in his new film Americana.

Filmed in 2022, Americana had its world premiere at South by Southwest in March 2023, and Lionsgate later acquired the distribution rights. It finally has a theatrical release date of Aug. 15, 2025. Based on early reviews, the crime thriller currently has a 100 percent score at Rotten Tomatoes, with film critics praising its "gallows humor, compelling performances, and a big heart" (IndieWire).

Who's in the cast?

Americana spotlights a talented ensemble including Sydney Sweeney as Penny Jo Poplin, Paul Walter Hauser as Lefty Ledbetter, Halsey as Mandy Starr, Eric Dane as Dillon MacIntosh, Zahn McClarnon as Ghost Eye, Gavin Maddox Bergman as Cal Starr, Simon Rex as Roy Lee Dean, Derek Hinkey as Hank Spears, Toby Huss as Pendleton Duvall, Harriet Sansom Harris as Tish, and Donald Cerrone as Sheriff Cole Pickering.

Halsey...

This article contains spoilers for "The Fantastic Four: First Steps."

"The Fantastic Four: First Steps" brings Marvel's first family into the Marvel Cinematic Universe for the first time and gives us the best version of the blue-clad superhero team that the big screen has ever seen, thanks to superb performances from Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby (the real Mvp), Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn. Of course, that doesn't mean every aspect of the Marvel Studios movie is perfect. In fact, the movie has a major villain problem in the form of the planet-devouring Galactus. 

The Marvel villain, portrayed by "The Witch" star Ralph Ineson, may be too big of a threat for the Fantastic Four to face for their first MCU outing (a symptom of a lot of 2000s-era superhero movies). That's largely why Silver Surfer (Julia Garner) gets to do much of the fighting on behalf of Galactus for the...

Smoke will return with the sixth episode of its debut season on Friday, July 25. Ahead of the premiere, Cbr can unveil a new sneak peek featuring series star Taron Egerton.

In the clip, Dave Gudsen (Egerton) is investigating a past arson crime scene that occurred at Freddy Fasano's (Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine) foster home, making him confident that Freddy was the offender. Titled "Manhood," the episode was written by Dennis Lehane and directed by Jim McKay. The official logline reads, "Esposito and Calderone urge Harvey to take action. A fully rogue Freddy reached out to an ally."

Check out the video below.

The series first debuted on Apple TV+ on June 27 and has already found success on streaming. Smoke, which is inspired by true events, follows a troubled detective and an enigmatic arson investigator pursuing the trails of two serial arsonists. Lehane serves as showrunner on the series, which is...

If you’ve had a chance to check out the opening hours of Smoke Season 1, then you know it’s a twisty, complex crime drama with that dark and ominous vibe that surrounds many Apple TV+ series.

And if you haven’t checked it out yet, what are you waiting for?

While the series may just be getting started, the cast is full of recognizable faces that have impressive filmographies. And we’re taking a look at some of the projects that put these faces on the map.

(Courtesy of Apple TV+) Taron Egerton

Dave Gudsen, an arson investigator and former firefighter, is portrayed by Welsh actor Taron Egerton with an air of cockiness and narcissism.

Is Arienne Mandi’s New Character the Shake-Up Chicago Pd Needs?by Jasmine Blu The Summer I Turned Frustrated: It’s Not Jeremiah, It’s the Writingby Jasmine Blu NCIS: Origin’s Lala...

[Editor’s note: The following interview contains spoilers for “Smoke,” through Episode 5, “Size Matters.”]

Modern TV release models are often dictated by whatever makes sense for the network, but Apple TV+ gave “Smoke” a two-episode premiere for a very clear narrative reason: the twist at the end of Episode 2.

For most of the crime thriller’s first two hours, series lead Dave Gudsen (Taron Egerton) fits a heroic mold. He’s an arson investigator working alongside a detective (Jurnee Smollett) to catch two serial fire-starters. He’s got a wife and kid at home. He teaches on weekends and even writes fiction in his spare time.

But every so often, a curious blemish appears on Dave’s picture-perfect portrait. The book he’s working on is poorly written. His arson courses are more flash than substance. He’s emasculated at home, whether it’s by the stepson who thinks he’s a loser or the pill he needs to perform with his wife,...

Are we in store for more “Emmy sweepers?”

With more than 25,000 voting members, the Television Academy is made up of 31 peer groups, each representing a specific field of expertise — actors, writers, editors, and so on. Of the many categories, only 15 are voted on by the entire membership. These include outstanding comedy, drama, limited or anthology series, television movie, talk series, variety special (live and pre-recorded), short form, hosted nonfiction series, structured and unstructured reality, reality competition, scripted variety and game show.

Unlike the Oscars, which allow all eligible members to vote in the final round, the Emmys restrict both nomination and winner selection to designated peer groups. That exclusivity shapes the voting landscape — and it explains the rise of a modern phenomenon: the Emmy sweep.

Only once before 2020 had a series ever won all seven major categories: HBO’s “Angels in America” in 2004. Then came the Covid-era stunner: Pop TV’s “Schitt’s Creek,...

When it was announced that Paul Walter Hauser had joined the cast of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, fans immediately began to speculate that he might be playing the first foe the team ever faced on the page, Mole Man.

Now, USA Today has made it official with a first look at the Black Bird actor as the subterranean villain - although it sounds like he won't actually be a full-blown bad guy in this movie.

“He is living sort of in the shadows like a villain would, but he's also taking care of an entire race of people and trying to live his life without being bothered,” Hauser says of his character.

It seems Harvey Elder's beef with Marvel First Family will be political in nature.

“It's a power struggle, but within that, there are compromises and alliances made.” adds director Matt Shakman: “He's all about community, and...

A closer look at what Apple TV+ nails, where it falls short, and why I won’t be losing it anytime soon.

I love streaming TV, and (for both personal and professional reasons) I have been subscribed to all the major streamers for years, and now I’m going to put that knowledge to good use by breaking down the highs and lows of every streamer’s library.

Apple TV+ is a great place to start because it takes such a different approach to content than its competitors. So, in this article, I’ve broken things down into what Apple TV+ does really well, where I think it could improve, how often new shows actually drop, and how deep the library is. This is obviously my personal take — you might feel totally differently — but if you’re curious about whether Apple TV+’s “quality over quantity” approach works (and where...

Taron Egerton recently lit the world on fire with his performance in Carry-On, the Netflix original holiday thriller that rose the ranks to become one of the streamer’s most popular movies. However, his latest role comes in the form of a gritty detective series that’s been dominating streaming charts. Egerton stars alongside Jurnee Smollett and Rafe Spall in Smoke, the true-crime series following a troubled detective and an arson investigator who chase down two serial arsonists. The first four episodes of Smoke are currently streaming on Apple TV+, and the show is charting for Apple in more than 40 countries. It received mild reviews out of the gate thus far, earning a 70% score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes and a 72% on the audience-driven Popcornmeter.

Smoke is the perfect show to watch for fans who are missing True Detective, particularly the first season of the hit HBO series starring Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson.

Image Source: 20th Century Studios Big news for fans of Taron Egerton, especially if you’ve been patiently waiting for an update on the stylish spy world of Kingsman! The actor recently opened up about his incredibly busy schedule and what it means for the long-anticipated third film in the main Kingsman saga. While nothing is “set in stone,” Egerton confirmed to Bingeworthy that both he and director Matthew Vaughn are keen to make it happen. He even revealed a recent chat with Vaughn: “He did call me on Friday night, actually. Yeah, look, we both want to do it. And I know Colin [Firth] is open to doing it, too.” Egerton believes there’s “a brilliant story to tell with the third Kingsman” and “still thinks it will happen.” That’s music to our ears! But while we eagerly await Eggsy’s return, you don’t have to wait...

In 2019, Taron Egerton wowed audiences with his portrayal of British singer-songwriter Elton John in Rocketman. Four years later, the actor played an entirely different real-life figure, that of video game designer and entrepreneur Henk Rogers, in the 2023 biographical thriller Tetris.

According to FlixPatrol, after a lengthy absence from Apple TV+'s Top 10 Movies list, Tetris has made a remarkable return to the streaming chart and is, as of July 13, ranked No. 4, up two spots from the day before. The only movies ahead of Tetris on the Top 10 list are new releases from earlier this year: The Gorge (No. 3), Echo Valley (No. 2), and Fountain of Youth (No. 1). The rest of the Top 10 chart is made up of a mixture of new and older releases, with Wolfs at No. 5, The Instigators at No. 6, Greyhound at No. 7, Ghosted at No. 8, The Family Plan at No. 9, and Luck at No. 10.

Directed by Jon S. Baird...

After a disappointing update about Season 2, The Pittmakes a major leap on the streaming charts.

Per Flix Patrol, HBO's The Pitt has officially broken through to the top ten overall streaming chart. Although The Pitt currently sits in the number ten spot, it may not be long before it starts overtaking less explosive competition like My Mom Jayne and Snatched, which currently sit in the number seven and nine spots on the list, respectively. The series has a long way to go before it approaches the top of the list, however, as Ryan Coogler's Sinners has maintained the number one spot for more than a week straight.

Created by showrunner R. Scott Gemmill, The Pitt premiered on HBO Max this past January and quickly established itself as the latest hit medical drama. The series, set within the emergency room of the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital, referred to as "the pitt" by staff,...

Two years before he was the Sheriff of Hawkins, Indiana, in the Netflix hit Stranger Things, David Harbour played a vicious killer in a 2014 Liam Neeson movie that’s now gaining momentum on streaming. The 2014 crime thriller film A Walk Among the Tombstones is in the No. 9 spot on Paramount+’s Top 10 movies in the U.S., per FlixPatrol. As of July 9, A Walk Among the Tombstones is ahead of Norbit (2007) and just behind Mean Girls (2004).

A Walk Among the Tombstones comes from writer-director Scott Frank, who wrote 2017’s Logan.Frank is also the co-creator of the Netflix hit series The Queen’s Gambit. The 2014 movie is based on the 1992 novel of the same name by Lawrence Block. In addition to Neeson and Harbour, A Walk Among the Tombstones also stars Dan Stevens,Boyd Holbrook,and Laura Birn (Foundation).

Liam Neeson Stars as a P.I.

Neeson, who is no stranger to the action-thriller genre,...

Sundays at 7, on the dot, not matter what.

After months of teasing their Sunday family dinners, Marvel Studios has finally released the full clip showcasing the film's most pivotal Sunday dinner where Sue (Vanessa Kirby) and Reed (Pedro Pascal) are running a little late after receiving some exciting news.

The pair are greeted by Ben (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and Johnny (Joseph Quinn), who after some fun family banter, begin to congratulate the soon-to-be new parents.

Since the film isn't due out for a few more weeks, tracking isn't entirely reliable at this stage, but the early numbers are looking good, with pundits pointing toward a potential domestic opening weekend in the $125 million to $155 million range, which would be a gargantuan win for Marvel Studios as they attempt to recalibrate the Marvel Cinematic Universe ahead of next year's winter blockbuster Avengers: Doomsday.

With the global press tour expected to begin in the next week or so,...

Warning: the following interviews contain minor spoilers for the first episodes of Smoke. If you have not seen the first two episodes, please proceed with caution.

Dennis Lehane and Taron Egerton delivered an award-winning and critically acclaimed true crime series for Apple TV+ called Black Bird a couple of years ago, and the duo have reteamed for this new series. Smoke is an original creation inspired by a true crime podcast, but tells a disturbing tale about law enforcement teaming with an arson investigator to catch a pair of arsonists in the Pacific Northwest. A chilling and engaging series, Smoke will keep audiences glued for nine consecutive episodes.

When he is partnered with Detective Michelle Calderone (Jurnee Smollett), Dave Gudsen (Taron Egerton), a former firefighter who works as an arson investigator, with two serial arsonists on the loose with very distinct methodologies, the two investigators bring their background experience with...

Taron Egerton is not playing it safe. With Apple TV+’s Smoke, the Emmy-nominated actor reunites with Black Birdcreator Dennis Lehane for a crime drama that throws procedural rules into the fire — literally. Collider has your exclusive first look at an intense scene from Episode 3, just in time for the holiday weekend. In the sneak peek, Dave Gudsen (Egerton) and Detective Michelle Calderone (Jurnee Smollett) zero in on a new clue at an arson scene — shopping bags. It might not sound like much, but in Smoke, everything means something. As Dave explains the significance of the bags’ colour, the tension between him and Michelle continues to simmer. And considering what we already know by the end of Episode 2 — that Dave is actually one of the arsonists they’re chasing — the scene hits a whole lot harder.

Smoke might look like another cop show on the surface, but that illusion burns away fast.

Taron Egerton will always be known for his role as Eggsy in the Kingsman movies, but his latest crime thriller series, now streaming on Apple TV+, just beat one of his most iconic films in a crucial statistic. Egerton stars alongside Jurnee Smollett and Rafe Spall in Smoke, the show following a troubled detective and an arson investigator who are chasing two serial arsonists. After debuting with a 69% score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, Smoke has come to rest at a 73% on the audience-driven Popcornmeter. Both of these scores are higher than Kingsman: The Golden Circle, which sits at a “rotten” 51% from critics and 64% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite these lower scores, Kingsman: The Golden Circle still grossed $410 million at the box office against a $104 million budget.

Although he’s inseparable from Eggsy in the Kingsman films, Egerton has also delivered various hits in the last few years to help bolster his resume.

Taron Egerton is no stranger to complicated men.

He’s played soulful singers, undercover charmers, and convicted felons — all with enough empathy to make you root for them, even when you probably shouldn’t.

But with Smoke, Apple TV+’s intense and morally murky new drama, Egerton sets fire to the heroic mold and dives headfirst into something far more dangerous.

(Courtesy of Apple TV+)

And we mean that literally. As revealed in Smoke Season 1 Episode 2, Egerton plays Dave Gudsen, a respected Atf agent by day and the so-called “potato chip arsonist” by night.

The man is both hunter and hunted — and he’s hiding in plain sight.

Countdown Season 1 Episode 4 Tries to Use Death for Goodby Denis Kimathi Nine Perfect Strangers Season 2 Episode 8 Review: Masha’s Sweet Revengeby Laura Nowak The Librarians: The Next Chapter Season 1 Episode 7 Lifts the Lid on Connor’s Pastby Paul Dailly

For Egerton, stepping...

A genre-bending vampire flick, a dark dating thriller, and another action comedy on Prime Video — July’s stacked.

There’s a lot dropping across the streamers this month, and while my taste usually leans more comedic — stuff like “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” is always top-tier for me — this July lineup has a nice mix of tones. A few darker picks made the cut, but there’s still plenty of wild buddy comedy, big-budget sci-fi, and straight-up ridiculous fun… including the sequel to one of the best sport-comedy movies ever made. So if you’re looking for something new to stream, here are the shows and movies across all of the major streamers I’m actually pumped to watch in July.

Top title on each streamer for the month of July, 2025:

Disney+: ‘Suspicious Minds’

HBO Max: ‘Sinners’

AMC+: ‘The Luckiest Man in America’

Peacock: ‘Drop’

Apple...

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If you loved the thrilling and intense drama of Apple TV+’s Black Bird, then rejoice as the trio of Dennis Lehane, Taron Egerton, and Apple TV+ have joined hands once again to bring you the thrilling true crime drama series, Smoke.

Based on the podcast Firebug by Truth Podcasting Corp., the Apple TV+ series follows the duo of arson investigator Dave Gudsen and Detective Michelle Calderon as they are forced to work together to catch two serial arsonists, who have been terrorising the people of the city.

Smoke – Episode Guide (When Will the New Episodes Come Out?) Credit – Apple TV+

Smoke consists of nine episodes in total. The thrilling crime drama series premiered on Apple TV+ with its first two episodes on June 27, with the rest of the episodes coming out weekly every Friday. Check out the...

Taron Egerton's crime thriller adaptation with a 72% Rotten Tomatoes score has taken the Number 1 spot on streaming from Apple TV+'s new sci-fi show. Apple TV+ original series have included a multitude of well-received shows throughout 2025, such as the crime drama Your Friends & Neighbors and the ongoing sports comedy Stick. These series emphasize the versatility of the streaming platform, with plenty of series across a wide array of genres that showcase just how many different types of stories can be told.

While these newer shows have managed to become popular on the platform in recent months, there are plenty of Apple TV+ originals that have managed to stand the test of time as well. One of these is the 2022 miniseries Black Bird, starring Egerton as Jimmy Keene, a criminal who begins working with the FBI. The series was created by Dennis Lehane and received critical acclaim, being nominated for and winning multiple awards.

Apple TV+’s latest crime thriller series, Smoke, is out with episode 2 titled Your Happy Makes Me Sad. The security footage related to the D&c arsonist unanimously pointed towards one direction, and it’s not where you think.

The green hoodie, the fires in the chip aisle of supermarkets, and the limp everything traced back to one man. The show has a procedural quality of turning the cat-and-mouse game into a critical examination of blurred identity, self-deception, and loyalty. This is precisely why viewers can’t help but stay glued to their screens.

Shifting attention from the security footage revelations, is this the perpetrator’s game in Smoke episode 2?

Jurnee Smollett, playing Detective Michelle Calderone, cracks the codes on the inconsistency of the D&c suspect. A limp that has been captured on the grocery store surveillance appears to be staged. It is not consistent and natural. She mentions it to Gudsen,...

A brand-new crime drama series from creator Dennis Lehane is dominating the Apple TV+ streaming charts just days after its premiere on the streamer. Smoke,which hit Apple TV+ on June 27, has risen one spot on Apple TV+’s Top 10 TV Shows as of July 29, per FlixPatrol. The Taron Egerton series, based on a true-crime podcast, has now climbed to the No. 2 spot, ahead of Alexander Skarsgård’s Murderbot, which is now in the No. 3 slot.

While Owen Wilson’s new sports comedy series Stickstill holds the No. 1 spot among all Apple TV+ shows, Smoke could even dethrone it in the coming days. Egerton, who starred in Netflix’s Carry-On in 2024, alsostarred in Black Bird in 2023, from creator Lehane, which also aired on Apple TV+.

Top 10 Apple TV+ Shows Image via FlixPatrol Smoke is a Retelling of a True-Crime Podcast

Smoke was adapted for TV from the podcast Firebug from Truth Podcasting Corp.

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Smoke is a crime drama miniseries created by Dennis Lehane. Based on the podcast titled Firebug by Truth Podcasting Corp. The Apple TV+ series is set in the Pacific Northwest, and it follows arson investigator Dave Gudsen and Detective Michelle Calderon as they are assigned to work together to catch a serial arsonist who is terrorising the city. Smoke stars Taron Egerton, Jurnee Smollett, Rafe Spall, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, Hannah Emily Anderson, Greg Kinnear, and John Leguizamo. So, if you loved the thrilling mystery, intense drama, and compelling characters in Apple TV+’s Smoke, here are some similar shows you should check out next.

Black Bird (Apple TV+) Credit – Apple TV+

Black Bird is a true crime drama miniseries created by Dennis Lehane. Based on the 2010 autobiographical novel In with the Devil: A Fallen Hero, a Serial Killer,...

Spoiler Alert: The following piece contains plot details from the first two episodes of “Smoke,” now streaming on Apple TV+.

Three years ago, crime writer Dennis Lehane and actor Taron Egerton teamed up for “Black Bird,” an Apple TV+ series that adapted the true story of FBI operative James Keene into a disturbing-yet-tender take on masculinity. “Black Bird” was well-received, earning critical praise and a trio of Emmy acting nominations, including a posthumous nod for Ray Liotta as Keene’s father. But while Egerton was excellent in the role of a man brought face-to-face with the ugly extreme of his own unquestioned machismo, the showier role went to Paul Walter Hauser, who played a serial killer slowly goaded into a confession and ultimately took home the trophy for outstanding supporting actor.

Egerton and Lehane have now reunited for “Smoke,” another true crime show that explores criminal psychology with an eerie atmosphere and a star-studded cast.

Taron Egerton’s new crime drama just debuted on Apple TV+ on June 27, but it’s already climbing the Top 10 streaming charts. Per FlixPatrol, Smoke, which also stars Jurnee Smollett, has risen to the No. 3 spot on Apple TV+’s Top 10 chart. As of June 28, Smoke is just behind Stick and Murderbot and is ahead of Apple TV+ mainstays like Severanceand Ted Lasso.

Egerton notably starred in Netflix’s massive 2024 hit film Carry-On and 2019’s Elton John biopic Rocketman. He was also nominated for an Emmy in 2023 for his performance in Apple TV+’s Black Bird. Smoke reunites Egerton with Black Bird creator Dennis Lehane, who also created the new series. Lehane has written several novels that have been turned into films or TV shows, including Mystic River, Shutter Island, Gone Baby Gone, The Wire, Boardwalk Empire, and Mr. Mercedes.

Top 10 Shows on Apple TV+ Image via FlixPatrol The Series...

Apple TV+ is known for great sci-fi shows and, frankly, for losing a ridiculous amount of money for Apple. However, speaking from a fan's point of view, the streaming service is a reliable port of call for just about every genre of well-produced, imaginative movies and series made by some of the best creators and actors in the game. From the amazing entertainment industry comedy "The Studio" to the literally mind-bending office hellscape of "Severance" and the scruffy spy shenanigans of "Slow Horses," the best TV shows on Apple TV+ offer plenty of bang for the viewer's buck, and the streamer is adding more stuff all the time. 

The newest member of the Apple TV+ array of well-made shows is "Smoke," a nine-part arson drama from Dennis Lehane ("Shutter Island"). Drawing inspiration from the real-life crimes of serial arsonist John Leonard Orr and truth.media's "Firebug" podcast, "Smoke" stars Taron Egerton...

A lone woman is shopping in a crafts store, pushing her half-filled cart lackadaisically down an aisle lined with wooden birdhouses and wicker baskets, when she sniffs the air and stops. Looking up, she sees a curtain of smoke rising toward the rafters. There’s a fire. It’s right in front of her. Then there’s another and another. Suddenly, people are screaming. They rush toward the exit, but this one unfortunate shopper is trapped by the proliferating blaze. Everything in the store is kindling, and the metal shelving hems in what’s becoming a human fire-pit. She runs, she covers her mouth, she crawls, but the smoke is too thick to see through and the heat — my god, the heat — is searing.

When the woman escapes, stumbling into a door that explodes the second she pushes through it, there’s a sense of relief. She’s out. She’s alive.

Not that long ago, star Taron Egerton and writer Dennis Lehane delivered one of the most acclaimed series on the Apple TV+ roster: the prison drama Black Bird. They've now reunited on the crime thriller Smoke, a nine-episode limited series in which Egerton plays an arson investigator who may or may not be entirely reliable as a protagonist. He's paired up with a detective, played by Jurnee Smollett, and together, they're tasked with tracking down a couple of fire-starters before things become too hot to handle. Unlike Black Bird, however, Smoke has debuted with a mediocre response from critics.

It currently holds a 68% score on Rotten Tomatoes, which is far lower than the 98% score that Black Bird is sitting on. The aggregator website's consensus reads, "Smoke obscures its appeal with coy plotting until it eventually lights a fire under its story, but commanding turns from Taron Egerton and Jurnee Smollett keep this drama watchable throughout.

It probably goes without saying, but this article contains spoilers for "Smoke."

Where there's smoke, there's fire, and Apple TV+'s "Smoke" has a twist that will burn its audience just when they think they're safe on the other side of the fire line.

The series follows arson investigator Dave Gudsen, played by Taron Egerton, and detective Michell Calderon, played by Jurnee Smollett of "Lovecraft Country" and "Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)" fame, as they investigate a string of deadly arsons across the Pacific Northwest. Created by "Shutter Island" and "Gone Baby Gone" writer Dennis Lehane, the series is a psychological portrait of two broken people who could catch fire at any moment (in a figurative sense this time).

The show earned a mixed-to-positive reception ahead of its premiere, with some critics praising the performances in "Smoke" while others feel the series flames out...

This post contains spoilers from Smoke season 1 episode 1 from this point forward.

Over the past few years, Apple TV+ has shown a knack for attracting top talent. That factors both into casts and into the crews that produce shows. We certainly have that working for us with Smoke, a new limited series that debuted on Friday, June 27 on the platform. We got the first two episodes released Friday with the rest of the nine-episode season dropping weekly.

The series draws its inspiration from the Podcast Firebug, which was based on the crimes of John Leonard Orr. This new series, created by Dennis Lehane, is a fictionalized tale drawing inspiration from real life. It pairs him with star Taron Egerton, who was the star of Lehane’s 2022 Apple TV+ miniseries Black Bird. Lehane is a talented crime writer, with a decorated history of novels, short stories, TV series, and films. He plies his skill here,...

To celebrate the release of the anticipated new Apple TV+ series Smoke, from the makers behind Black Bird, we had the pleasure of chatting to the cast and creator about the new show.

Inspired by true events, “Smoke” follows a troubled detective and an enigmatic arson investigator as they pursue the trials of two serial arsonists.

Starring Taron Egerton as arson investigator Dave Gudsen and Emmy Award nominee Jurnee Smollett as police detective Michelle Calderone, the cast of “Smoke” also features Rafe Spall, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, Hannah Emily Anderson, Adina Porter, with Emmy Award nominee Anna Chlumsky, Academy Award and Emmy Award nominee Greg Kinnear, and Emmy Award winner John Leguizamo.

Chatting with cast members Egerton, Smollett, and Mbaho Mwine, we discuss the lure of the series and its intriguing, unique premise, the layers of their characters and their relationships within the series, why Lehane is one of the world’s finest writers,...

This is a big week for TV premieres. Not only are two of the biggest shows of the past five years returning, but a number of promising, wildly different titles are also making their respective premieres this week. On top of that, a pair of exciting documentaries have finally arrived on streaming, and one of this year’s most unpredictable, darkly funny thrillers is now available to rent and buy on demand.

Viewers are not, in other words, facing a lack of streaming options. Here are the eight best new movies and shows you can stream this weekend.

“Pavements” (Utopia) “Pavements” (2025)

Featuring scripted performances by actors like Jason Schwartzman, Joe Keery, Nat Wolff and Fred Hechinger, “Pavements” is writer-director Alex Ross Perry’s docufiction/musical biopic concert film about seminal ’90s American indie rock band Pavement. After hitting limited theaters around the country in May and June, it has finally...

The nine-episode crime drama is inspired by the real-life story of a serial arsonist.

My wife and I burned through “Black Bird” when it dropped on Apple TV+ and couldn’t stop talking about it. That show was created by Dennis Lehane and had Taron Egerton playing someone who had been convicted of a crime and gets offered a shot at freedom if he can get a confession out of a suspected serial killer — and it’s all based on a true story. Well, Apple TV+ is going back to the, er, fire pit, putting Lehane and Egerton back together for another real-world-inspired crime story in “Smoke.” The series will premiere on Friday, June 27 with two episodes, and you can watch with a seven-day free trial to Apple TV+.

How to watch ‘Smoke’ When: Friday, June 27 at 12:01 a.m. Et TV: Apple TV+ Stream: Watch with a seven-day free...

I’m sure I have, at some point, referred to Jurnee Smollett as a “fiery” actress. The Lovecraft Country and Friday Night Lights star does wild-eyed, fierce intensity in a way that is both captivating and reliable.

But this is getting a bit ridiculous.

Smollett got to stand just on the outside of the unconvincing climactic CGI fire in last year’s otherwise exceptional feature, The Order. Before that, she acted opposite burning crosses (Lovecraft Country) and torches (Underground). Now she gets full inferno immersion in Apple TV+’s new drama series, Smoke, an extraordinarily well-acted, formally inconsistent adaptation of the podcast Firebug.

At nine episodes, the Dennis Lehane-created show is too long and frustratingly repetitive, but it unfurls a fascinating mystery, features one of the summer’s best ensemble casts and floats big ideas that don’t always come through cleanly in the execution.

Smollett plays Michelle Calderon,...

It’s been nearly three years since the creepy crime limited series Black Bird was released on Apple TV+ and introduced fans to Taron Egerton’s dark side as drug-lord James “Jimmy” Keene. This role is the first time in a few years that fans have seen the Rocketman star in a role that didn’t involve singing. Now, Egerton is back in another crime drama with Apple TV+, Smoke, not as a drug lord but as arson investigator Dave Gudsen, who is tracking two serial arsonists alongside Detective Mitchell Calderon (Jurnee Smollett). Besides the return of Egerton as one of the show’s leads and executive producer, there were also some familiar faces from Black Bird involved in the creative side of producing Smoke, including the creator and writer himself, Dennis Lehane. With the release of this fiery summer drama just around the corner, here’s everything you need to know before watching Smoke.

The Pitt is gearing up for a second season - and now a new doctor has joined the cast.

Sepideh Moafi, who has appeared in Black Bird and Class of '09, has been cast as a so far unnamed attending physician in Season 2 of the highly acclaimed medical drama. Her character will have her work cut out for her, as The Pitt is not a pleasant place to work. In season one, the hospital received victims of a mass shooting, which proved immensely traumatic for lead character Dr. Robby (Noah Wyle). And that was in addition to the drug overdoses, childbirths, and agonies which the staff dealt with.

Maofi is the fifth person to join the cast of the show recently. Also in the new cast is Charles Baker of Breaking Bad, who will play an unhoused man called Troy. His presence makes Season 2 of the show a Breaking Bad mini-reunion,...

Taron Egerton’s much-awaited crime thriller on Apple TV+, Smoke, is out now, and it has opened to lukewarm reviews from the audience and critics alike. While the star power of the show is undeniable with Taron Egerton, the mediocre Rotten Tomatoes score may set a tone of caution around it, rather than unprecedented hype.

Early perceptions matter in shaping an opinion about a series. However, with power-packed performances and a deepening storyline ahead, the show may just surprise us in the upcoming episodes.

Early reviews and Rotten Tomatoes score for Taron Egerton’s Smoke

The new Apple TV+ series opened to a tepid response, despite its star wattage and ample hype. The Rotten Tomatoes score for it currently hovers between mid-60s to low 70s. This is a stark contrast to the usual high-octane hype that surrounds other Apple TV+ releases. While critics are mindful of the slick production,...

The Pitt is putting another doctor on shift for its second season.

Max’s critically acclaimed medical drama has added Sepideh Moafi to its cast for season two, which is in production for an early 2026 premiere. Moafi (The L Word: Generation Q) will be a series regular, playing an attending physician in emergency medicine.

She is the latest addition to the show’s cast; Charles Baker, Irene Choi, Laetitia Holland and Lucas Iverson will also appear in the coming season in recurring roles.

The Pitt, which stars ER alum Noah Wyle and follows the staff of a Pittsburgh hospital’s emergency department in real time, became a word-of-mouth hit for Max. The series averaged 6.18 million viewers per episode, based on Nielsen’s 35-day, cross-platform ratings, making it Max’s top original series of the 2024-25 season. The streamer ordered a second season a month after its premiere.

John Wells Productions and Warner Bros.

Attention, “The Pitt” fans: A new attending physician is coming to the ER.

Sepideh Moafi will portray an attending physician in emergency medicine in Season 2 of “The Pitt.” Moafi marks the first series regular added to the new season of the acclaimed Max medical drama.

“The Pitt” follows the goings-on of an emergency room at Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital, nicknamed “The Pitt” by its staff. The first season of the show follows a real-time structure, with each of its 15 episodes showing a single hour in an extended shift. Scarcely does the camera leave the walls of the ER, which functions as a “teaching hospital” showing medical students the ropes. For many of the show’s characters, the hectic, tragic events of season one occurred on their first day at The Pitt.

The series was created by showrunner R. Scott Gemmill alongside fellow “ER” alumni Noah Wyle and John Wells as executive producers.