17th February 2026
The floor drops out. Your stomach tightens. That creeping feeling that something is terribly wrong, even when everything looks perfect on the surface that’s the itch only a great thriller can scratch. For those of us who live for the twist, the turn, and the chilling revelation, the drought is officially over.
Apple TV+ has quietly built one of the most intense libraries of suspense-driven content on streaming. You’ve already navigated the paranoia of Severance, the moral decay of Black Bird, and the atmospheric dread of Disclaimer. But just when you think you’ve caught your breath, the streamer is doubling down on the darkness.
Two major thriller series are about to land, and they promise to deliver the kind of high-stakes storytelling that makes you cancel your Friday night plans. Whether it’s a descent into psychological madness or a race against time in the face of imminent danger, these shows are designed to keep your finger off the remote and your eyes glued to the screen.
Here is everything you need to know about the next two obsessions hitting Apple TV+.
What’s Coming to Apple TV+?
If you are a fan of narratives that mess with your head, Apple TV+ is becoming the promised land. Following the success of slow-burn hits like Defending Jacob and the sci-fi terror of Silo, the platform is leaning hard into the macabre and the mysterious. They aren’t just acquiring content; they are curating high-concept thrillers with A-list talent both in front of and behind the camera.
The two new series arriving on our screens represent two different flavors of fear. One is a slick, contemporary psychological thriller about the facades we maintain in the digital age. The other is a bone-chilling, atmospheric crime saga set against a landscape so harsh it becomes a character in itself.
Both are designed to do one thing: make you ask “what happens next?” until your voice goes hoarse.
Series #1: The Crowded Room
The Premise
In a sun-drenched 1979 New York City, a young man is arrested for a shocking crime that no one sees coming. But The Crowded Room isn’t a simple whodunit; it’s a profound and unsettling exploration of the human mind. The series follows Danny Sullivan (Tom Holland), a man caught in the aftermath of a terrible incident, whose interrogation by a curious detective (Amanda Seyfried) unravels a mystery that defies easy definition.
Why It Stands Out
This is not your standard police procedural. This is a character study wrapped in a mystery. Tom Holland sheds his Spider-Man suit entirely, delivering a raw, fractured performance that marks a massive departure from his Marvel roots. The series is inspired by the real-life story of Billy Milligan, one of the first people to successfully use multiple personality disorder as a defense in court.
The tension here isn’t just about whether Danny is guilty; it’s about the war raging inside his own head. The show plays with perception, forcing you to question what is real and what is a coping mechanism for a trauma too heavy to bear.
The Details
- Cast: Tom Holland, Amanda Seyfried, Emmy Rossum
- Creator: Akiva Goldsman (A Beautiful Mind)
- Release Date: Fridays, starting June 9, 2023
- Who Will Love It: Fans of Split, Mr. Robot, or anyone fascinated by the fragility of the human psyche. It’s dark, introspective, and emotionally brutal.
Series #2: Hijack
The Premise
Time is the ultimate enemy. Hijack is a real-time thriller that unfolds across seven tense episodes. Idris Elba stars as Sam Nelson, a sharp business negotiator who finds himself on a routine flight from Dubai to London that is suddenly taken over by armed aggressors. With no way to contact the ground and the lives of every passenger hanging in the balance, Sam must use his professional skills to read, manipulate, and outmaneuver the captors.
Why It Stands Out
If The Crowded Room is an internal battle, Hijack is pure external pressure. The gimmick and it’s a brilliant one is that the story plays out in near real-time. As the clock ticks at 30,000 feet, the situation on the ground escalates just as rapidly. We cut between the claustrophobic terror inside the plane and the frantic crisis management on the ground, where authorities try to piece together what is happening without any direct intel.
Idris Elba brings his signature gravitas to the role, making Sam a hero you can believe in not because he can throw a punch, but because he can win a war of words. Every conversation is a duel. Every decision is a matter of life and death.
The Details
- Cast: Idris Elba, Archie Panjabi, Max Beesley
- Director: Jim Field Smith (Criminal: UK)
- Release Date: Wednesdays, starting June 28, 2023
- Who Will Love It: Fans of *24*, United 93, or high-octane thrillers that don’t let you breathe. It’s a binge-watcher’s dream.
Quick Comparison Table
| Feature | The Crowded Room | Hijack |
| Genre | Psychological Thriller / Drama | Crime Thriller / Action |
| Release Date | June 9, 2023 (Weekly) | June 28, 2023 (Weekly) |
| Main Theme | Identity, Trauma, Mental Health | Survival, Negotiation, Crisis |
| Lead Cast | Tom Holland, Amanda Seyfried | Idris Elba, Archie Panjabi |
| Episodes | 10 Episodes | 7 Episodes |
| Why Watch | For the twisty, mind-bending mystery | For the heart-pounding, real-time tension |
Why Apple TV+ Is Betting Big on Thrillers
There is a reason Apple TV+ is becoming the go-to destination for the dark and twisty. In the streaming wars, comedy is subjective and romance is saturated, but suspense is universal. The thriller genre drives subscriptions because it demands engagement. You can’t scroll through your phone during a scene of Hijack you might miss the clue that saves the plane.
Apple is banking on the “watercooler effect.” These are shows designed to generate buzz. They want you texting your friends at 3 a.m. asking, “Did you get to the end of Episode 4 yet?!” By pairing A-list movie stars (Holland, Elba) with premium, cinematic production values, they are blurring the line between television and event cinema. Audiences are craving darker, more complex storytelling that reflects the anxieties of the modern world, and Apple is betting that we want to feel the fear, as long as we can do it from the safety of our couches.
FAQs
The Crowded Room premieres on Friday, June 9, 2023. Hijack follows shortly after on Wednesday, June 28, 2023.
The Crowded Room is inspired by the real-life story of Billy Milligan (documented in the book The Minds of Billy Milligan). Hijack is an original story created by George Kay and Jim Field Smith.
The Crowded Room will consist of 10 episodes, while Hijack is a tighter 7-episode run.
Both series are releasing on a weekly schedule. The Crowded Room debuts with three episodes, and Hijack debuts with two, followed by one new episode per week. This strategy is designed to keep the suspense simmering for months.
No. Both are standalone limited series or ongoing series with a closed-ended story.
Absolutely. The Apple TV+ app is available on almost every platform: Roku, Amazon Fire Stick, Smart TVs (Samsung, LG, Sony), PlayStation, Xbox, and via the web at tv.apple.com.
The Bottom Line
For thriller fans, June is a feast. If you prefer your suspense psychological, intimate, and deeply disturbing, The Crowded Room is your priority. It promises to be a career-defining moment for Tom Holland and a deep dive into the nature of reality. If you want something faster, louder, and more immediate, Hijack is the edge-of-your-seat event of the summer. It is pure adrenaline with a ticking clock you can practically hear.
Conclusion
The beauty of a great thriller is the anticipation. The moment before the door creaks open. The second before the negotiator speaks. That’s where we are now standing on the precipice of two incredible journeys into the unknown.
So, grab your remote, clear your calendar, and get your watchlist ready. Apple TV+ is about to get very dark, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
Which one are you watching first? Drop a comment and let the debate begin.
Disclaimer: The news and information presented on our platform, Thriver Media, are curated from verified and authentic sources, including major news agencies and official channels.
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