Martin Scorsese may be celebrated as a master of gangster films, but his repertoire extends far beyond that genre. He has a knack for thrillers too, as demonstrated by Cape Fear, a chilling remake he directed. Originally developed by Steven Spielberg, the project was handed off to Scorsese when Spielberg deemed it too violent. The story itself isn’t an original creation; it’s an adaptation of the novel The Executioners by John D. MacDonald. Moreover, it wasn’t the first adaptation either—an earlier version starring Robert Mitchum and Gregory Peck hit screens three decades prior. Now, Cape Fear is set to return once again, this time as a television series, with none other than Academy Award-winning actor Javier Bardem in a leading role.
According to Variety, Apple TV+ has ordered a ten-episode Cape Fear series, with Bardem taking on the role of Max Cady, the menacing antagonist. Bardem is no stranger to playing villains, as evidenced by his chilling performances in No Country for Old Men and Skyfall. The series will be helmed by showrunner Nick Antosca (Brand New Cherry Flavor, Antlers, Hannibal). Spielberg and Scorsese are on board as executive producers, ensuring that the series will draw from both MacDonald’s novel and Scorsese’s iconic 1991 adaptation, which starred Robert De Niro and Nick Nolte.
The official synopsis teases the premise:
"A storm is brewing for happily married lawyers Amanda and Steve Bowden when Max Cady (Bardem), a notorious killer from their past, is released from prison."
In Scorsese’s 1991 film, Max Cady doesn’t just torment the Bowden family—he infiltrates their lives, even targeting their teenage daughter (played by Juliette Lewis) with disturbing advances. Cady isn’t just a murderer; he’s also a sexual predator, making his presence all the more terrifying. The film is deeply unsettling, pushing boundaries and breaking taboos. While Cady is clearly unhinged, the narrative also exposes the primal darkness lurking within the seemingly upright lawyer by the end, leaving the audience with a bleaker and more cynical outlook than the 1962 version.
If the new series captures—or even surpasses—the audacity of Scorsese’s film, offering an even more discomforting psychological thriller, viewers will have something truly unforgettable to look forward to (provided they’re up for such a harrowing experience). And of course, the iconic theme music from the original film is an absolute must for this adaptation.
