Apple Officially Orders 'Are You Sleeping' Drama Series Starring Octavia Spencer

Apple has given a series order for 10 episodes of "Are You Sleeping," a drama series that will star Octavia Spencer, who is known for her work in movies that include "Hidden Figures," "The Help," "Gifted," and "The Shape of Water."

News of Apple's work on "Are You Sleeping" first surfaced in January, but now Variety says the company has decided to move forward with production on the show.


Image of Octavia Spencer via Variety
"Are You Sleeping" is based on a novel by Kathleen Barber, which has been described as a psychological thriller. The book focuses on a podcast that reopens a murder case, similar to the popular "Serial" podcast that led to a new trial for Adnan Syed, in jail for allegedly murdering a former girlfriend. Sarah Koenig, who created and produced "Serial," will consult on "Are You Sleeping."

The novel the TV show is based on explores how the reopening of the murder case impacts the victim's daughter and disrupts her life, and it's likely the TV show will follow a similar plot.

"Are You Sleeping" was written by Nichelle Tramble Spellman, and the series will be produced by Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine and Chernin Entertainment/Endeavor Content.

Apple is also working with Reese Witherspoon's production company on an as of yet untitled "morning show drama" that takes a look into the cutthroat would of morning TV.

Apple now has more than a dozen television shows in the works, with a full list of what's on the horizon available in the original content section of our Apple TV roundup.

It's not yet known when the first of Apple's TV shows will debut nor how they'll be distributed, but rumors have suggested we could see the first fruits of Apple's efforts in 2019.