Palmer (Courtesy of Apple TV Plus)
Apple TV Plus has just scored its most-watched weekend since the 15-month-old service launched, according to company insiders.
Powered by the premiere of “Palmer,” a drama starring Justin Timberlake and directed by Fisher Stevens, the streaming service saw a 33% increase over average viewers — also due to available sophomore seasons of M. Night Shyamalan’s “Servant” and “Dickinson.,” as well as big international numbers for “Losing Alice.”
Timberlake’s movie, about an ex-con who finds himself the caretaker of a gender-nonconforming child, rated as the second-biggest feature film launch for the service, run by Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht. Definitive streaming numbers were not available.
The viewership numbers come off of Apple’s major score at the Sundance Film Festival this weekend, where they emerged the winner of a rich bidding war for “Coda,” the festival sensation that broke sales records at a $25 million price tag. The acquisition follows a series of high profile film packages the studio has landed, having spent the majority of the launch on building out series like “The Morning Show.”
Upcoming films include “Emancipation,” from director Antoine Fuqua and producer and star Will Smith, a deal which rated a $130 million record package sale last year out of Cannes. They’ve also got: “Killers of the Flower Moon,” directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro; “Swan Song” with Mahershala Ali, Naomie Harris and Glenn Close and Awkwafina; “Kitbag,” from Ridley Scott and Joaquin Phoenix; A24’s “Sharper” with Julianne Moore; and “Snow Blind” with Jake Gyllenhaal.
Their current awards contenders for this year’s cycle include the animated “Wolfwalkers,” Sofia Coppola’s “On The Rocks,” Tom Hanks’ “Greyhound,” the acclaimed documentary “Boys State,” and Werner Herzog’s “Fireball.”
Variety's Matt Donnelly contributed to this post.
https://variety.com/2021/film/news/apple-tv-plus-most-watched-weekend-ever-justin-timberlake-palmer-1234897560/
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