Apple TV Sets Seven October Premieres, Adds 13 Free Classic Films

"Tenzing," arriving October 16, is based on true events and follows Tenzing Norgay, played by Genden Phuntsok, the Himalayan climber who with New Zealand mountaineer Edmund Hillary, played by Tom Hiddleston, became the first to summit Mount Everest. Thinley Lhamo plays his wife Dawa, Caitríona Balfe plays expedition secretary Jill Henderson, and Willem Dafoe plays Colonel John Hunt. The film traces how Tenzing, encouraged by Dawa and with Henderson as an ally, persuades Hunt that he belongs on the British climbing team rather than merely serving it. Where the Western climbers treat Everest as something to be conquered, Tenzing reveres Chomolungma as a sacred mother goddess, and the ascent is shaped as much by tensions of background, class and ambition as by the mountain itself.

"Nocturne," a crime drama premiering October 30, stars Liev Schreiber as Jonah Lynn, an ex-soldier turned homicide detective who leaves the streets of Philadelphia for a small town in western Pennsylvania in search of a quiet life. When the town and his family come under attack from serial killer Jurek Walter, played by Graham, Jonah must protect what he holds dear. The search for Jurek's last missing victim forces him to send his surrogate daughter, FBI Agent Saga Bauer, played by Beetz, up against Jurek.

"Matchbox The Movie," out October 9, is an action adventure inspired by the Mattel toys. It follows a group of friends since childhood whose lives are upended when undercover CIA agent Sean, played by John Cena and their long-absent former leader, returns to their small town and draws them into an international pursuit to save the world.

The documentary "The Last First: Winter K2" lands October 2. Directed by Amir Bar-Lev, it centers on a 2021 expedition by Icelandic mountaineer John Snorri Sigurjónsson and the Pakistani father-son team of Ali and Sajid Sadpara, who set out to become the first to summit K2 in winter. They share the treacherous ascent with influencer climbers and their film crews, commercial expedition clients, and the Nepalese celebrity mountaineer Nims with his team of Sherpas.

Also on October 2 comes season two of "The Sisters Grimm," in which two orphaned sisters navigate a town of fantasy and fairy-tale characters while investigating their missing parents. "Small Prophets," a comedy premiering October 7, stars Pearce Quigley as Michael Sleep, who has lived an ordinary life since his partner Clea disappeared seven years ago. After his father Brian, played by Michael Palin, shares an old recipe involving rainwater, horse manure and alchemy, Michael sets out skeptically to create homunculi, magical spirits said to predict the future, hoping they can tell him whether he will see Clea again.

On October 21, season two of "Where's Wanda?" returns. Apple's first German-language series, it follows Dedo and Carlotta Klatt as they search for their missing 17-year-old daughter. After police fail to find her, the family buys surveillance devices with help from their tech-savvy son Ole and, disguised as employees of an electrical company, bug their neighborhood and then half their suburb.

The 13 classic films added on October 1 join holdovers from previous months, among them "The Sixth Sense," "Master and Commander" and "The Rookie." Apple TV launched nearly seven years ago and for most of that time offered almost exclusively original content, but in recent months it has added monthly batches of popular older films. Titles available outside the United States vary because Apple holds different rights deals in other markets. The service costs $14.99 per month, or less through the Apple One bundle. Its current lineup includes "Slow Horses," "Ted Lasso," "Dark Matter" and the Matthew McConaughey comedy "Brothers."

Editor's Summary

Apple TV's October slate adds seven premieres across drama, action, comedy, documentary and children's programming, with "Tenzing" and "Nocturne" carrying the highest-profile casts. The service also placed 13 classic films in its library free for subscribers, continuing a shift that began this year away from an originals-only catalogue. Pricing stands at $14.99 per month, with availability of the older titles differing by market.