Vince Gilligan is launching his new Apple TV+ series. Image source: Apple
Writer/producer Vince Gilligan has revealed the first show in his deal with Apple TV+, a new science fiction drama starring Rhea Seehorn, best known for her role in Gilligan’s “Better Call Saul.”
Gilligan’s deal with Apple TV+ was announced in 2022, with the detail that it was to provide an original drama series. Apple reportedly gave Gilligan a straight-to-series order, skipping any pilot presentation, and also made it a two season deal.
What’s only now known is that the show is called “Pluribus,” and Apple TV+ has released a teaser trailer for it. The teaser comes ahead of Apple also promoting it with events at the forthcoming San Diego Comic Con.
Little is known yet of the plot, with the teaser being just a 30-second taster of its slightly dark tone. But it is confirmed to be starring Seehorn and arrives on November 7.
It was also first reported that Apple TV+ won the show in a bidding war between at least eight networks or streamers. The interest was based on both Gilligan’s reputation and the script for the show.
But it may also have helped that the people at Apple TV+ were the same ones who commissioned “Breaking Bad” at AMC.
“And what nice symmetry to be reunited with Zack Van Amburg, Jamie Erlicht and Chris Parnell!” Gilligan told Deadline magazine in 2022. “Jamie and Zack were the first two people to say yes to Breaking Bad all those years ago.”
“They’ve built a great team at Apple, and my wonderful, long-time partners at Sony Pictures Television,” he continued, “and I are excited to be in business with them.”
Reportedly, each episode is expected to cost more than $15 million to produce, though it’s not clear yet how many episodes where will be per season.
A two-season order is actually quite common for all networks and streamers, but announcing it at the start of the deal is more unusual.
Normally that detail is held back until just before a show starts, in order to promote Apple’s confidence in it. Or Apple will wait until the season is almost over, in order to imply that it’s a hit.
