Apple Shares Trailer for 'Boys State' Documentary Coming to Apple TV+ on August 14

Apple today shared the trailer for "Boys State," a political documentary that's set to be released in a limited number of theaters on July 1 and on Apple TV+ on Friday, August 14.


"Boys State" covers a week-long annual program where 1,100 17-year-old teenage boys in Texas participate in a mock exercise to build their own state government.

The sensational winner of the Grand Jury Prize for documentary at this year's Sundance Film Festival, Boys State is a wildly entertaining and continually revealing immersion into a week-long annual program in which a thousand Texas high school seniors gather for an elaborate mock exercise: building their own state government.

Filmmakers Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine closely track the escalating tensions that arise within a particularly riveting gubernatorial race, training their cameras on unforgettable teenagers like Ben, a Reagan-loving arch-conservative who brims with confidence despite personal setbacks, and Steven, a progressive-minded child of Mexican immigrants who stands by his convictions amidst the sea of red. In the process, they have created a complex portrait of contemporary American masculinity, as well as a microcosm of our often dispiriting national political divisions that nevertheless manages to plant seeds of hope.

"Boys State," which Apple purchased earlier this year for $10 million, won the Grand Jury Prize for documentary at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. Steve Jobs' widow, Laurene Powell Jobs, is one of the executive producers on the film.

In other ‌Apple TV‌+ news, Apple signed an overall deal with "Defending Jacob" creator, executive producer, and showrunner Mark Bomback, which will see him producing new projects for ‌Apple TV‌+.

"Defending Jacob" is said to be among one of the most popular shows on ‌Apple TV‌+. Bomback previously worked on projects like "War for the Planet of the Apes," "Live Free or Die Hard," and "The Wolverine."

Popular Stories

M3 iPad Air

Apple's Next Two Products Are Coming Soon

Thursday February 12, 2026 11:17 am PST by
Apple plans to release an iPhone 17e and an iPad Air with an M4 chip "in the coming weeks," according to the latest word from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "Apple retail employees say that inventory of the iPhone 16e has basically dried out and the iPad Air is seeing shortages as well," said Gurman. "I've been expecting new versions of both (iPhone 17e and M4 iPad Air) in the coming weeks."...
Apple Sales Coach App

Apple Launching New 'Sales Coach' App

Friday February 13, 2026 2:01 pm PST by
Apple plans to launch a rebranded "Sales Coach" app on the iPhone and iPad later this month, according to a source familiar with the matter. "Sales Coach" will arrive as an update to Apple's existing "SEED" app, and it will continue to provide sales tips and training resources to Apple Store and Apple Authorized Reseller employees around the world. For example, there are articles and videos...
m5 macbook pro deal

Why You Shouldn't Buy the Next MacBook Pro

Tuesday February 10, 2026 4:27 pm PST by
Apple is planning to launch new MacBook Pro models as soon as early March, but if you can, this is one generation you should skip because there's something much better in the works. We're waiting on 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, with few changes other than the processor upgrade. There won't be any tweaks to the design or the display, but later this...
Coffee Burgundy and Purple iPhone 18 Pro Mock

Five iPhone 18 Pro Features Revealed in New Report

Friday February 13, 2026 8:43 am PST by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are still seven months away, an analyst has revealed five new features the devices will allegedly have. Rumored color options for the iPhone 18 Pro models In a research note with investment firm GF Securities on Thursday, analyst Jeff Pu outlined the following upgrades for the iPhone 18 Pro models: Smaller Dynamic Island: It has been rumored...
macbook air prime day 2025

M5 MacBook Air: Release Date, Features, and Performance Predictions

Wednesday February 11, 2026 3:36 am PST by
The MacBook Air is Apple's most popular laptop – a thin, fanless machine that wields quiet power thanks to the efficiency of Apple silicon. While the M4 model isn't exactly old, attention is already turning to its successor. Apple doesn't telegraph new product launches ahead of time, but we can draw a surprisingly clear picture of what to expect by looking at Apple's silicon roadmap,...

Top Rated Comments

74 months ago

Sometimes it feels like all that's on ATV+ is documentaries.
Facts don’t care about your feelings, as a wise young man is known to often say.

There are far more scripted productions than documentaries on Apple TV+.

I really enjoyed the Elephant Queen, though! Well done, and moving.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
imola.zhp Avatar
74 months ago
I went to Boy's State in Oklahoma. It was quite an interesting week in the late 90's.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
74 months ago

Sometimes it feels like all that's on ATV+ is documentaries.
That's funny, because if you look through the content list the documentaries are absolutely dwarfed by the fictional drama and comedy.


Facts don’t care about your feelings, as a wise young man is known to often say.

There are far more scripted productions than documentaries on Apple TV+.

I really enjoyed the Elephant Queen, though! Well done, and moving.
Okay, this is epic. Can I give you 1,000 upvotes for this post please?
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cmaier Avatar
74 months ago

there are currently only 2 documentaries on apple tv+
Beastie boys? Dads? Elephants? Visible? Home? Dear? the oprah thing?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cmaier Avatar
74 months ago
Sometimes it feels like all that's on ATV+ is documentaries.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
supremedesigner Avatar
74 months ago
Boring! I want more action shows, not documentaries. I got free Apple TV+ for a year so it better be worth it
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)