New on Apple TV Plus in August 2024 — all the movies and shows to watch
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We're in the dog days of summer now, but with plenty of new Apple TV Plus movies and shows debuting in August, it's easy to beat the heat from the comfort of your couch.
This month sees the highly anticipated debut of "Pachinko" season 2, the multi-generational epic about a Korean family that immigrates to Japan. Also on tap is a new riveting docuseries "Cowboy Cartel," the heist comedy "The Instigators," the Vince Vaughn-led crime thriller "Bad Monkey" and the rebooted kids series "Yo Gabba GabbaLand." Given that Apple TV Plus is one of the best streaming services out there, it's no surprise to see so much quality content drop this month.
So, whatever you're in the mood to watch, this month's offerings promise to keep you glued to your seat. Here are all the new movies and shows hitting Apple TV Plus in August. For more recommendations, see the best of what's new on Max in August.
'Cowboy Cartel'
Apple's latest docuseries is off to the races. This four-part documentary series follows the extraordinary story of a rookie FBI agent who takes down the leaders of one of Mexico's deadliest cartels, Los Zetas, through unconventional means: by tracking their money as it was laundered through an American horse racing enterprise. Featuring first-time interviews with FBI agent Scott Lawson, who cracked the case, "Cowboy Cartels" is one of those stranger-than-fiction stories that's sure to be a hit for documentary and true crime fans.
Watch on Apple TV Plus starting August 2
'The Instigators'
"Roud House" and "The Bourne Identity" director Doug Liman has a new action comedy that brings Matt Damon and Casey Affleck together for their first reunion since "Oppenheimer." To take care of his son, desperate father Rory (Damon) reluctantly partners with an ex-con (Affleck) to steal a corrupt mayor's (Ron Perlman) ill-gained earnings. But when the fundraiser heist goes sideways, the pair comes under fire from police, bureaucrats, and vengeful crime bosses alike. Along for the ride is Rory's therapist Donna Rivera (Hong Chau), who gets caught up in their chaotic getaway through the city, a strong-armed straight man to balance out the Boston brogues from Damon and Affleck.
Watch on Apple TV Plus starting August 9
'Yo Gabba GabbaLand'
If you have little ones in your life, you'll want to mark your calendars for the premiere of “Yo Gabba GabbaLand!" — a 10-episode series inspired by the celebrated Emmy Award-nominated “Yo Gabba Gabba!” Beloved characters Brobee (Amos Watene), Foofa (Emma Penrose), Muno (Adam Deibert), Toodee (Erin Pearce), and Plex (Christian Jacobs) are back along with a dazzling line-up of new friends, live-action characters, and plenty of new earworms to get stuck in your head. Led by a new host Kammy Kam (Kamryn Smith), this season's guests include Reggie Watts, Emmy Award winner Sam Richardson, Critics Choice Award nominee Gillian Jacobs, Utkarsh Ambudkar, SAG Award winner Lauren Lapkus, Chelsea Peretti, Grammy Award winner Diplo, Grammy Award winner Flea, and more.
Watch on Apple TV Plus starting August 9
'Bad Monkey'
"Ted Lasso" executive producer Bill Lawrence is behind Apple TV Plus's new crime thriller "Bad Monkey," a 10-episode series based on Carl Hiaasen’s New York Times bestselling novel and enduring cult favorite. It stars Vince Vaughn as Andrew Yancy, a disgraced Miami cop now schlubbing it as a health inspector in the Keys. But when he stumbles upon a possible murder case after tourists fish up a human arm, he sees it as his golden ticket to redeem his career. But first, "he just needs to get past a trove of Floridian oddballs and one bad monkey," the show's synopsis reads.
Watch on Apple TV Plus starting August 14
'Pachinko' season 2
We count "Pachinko" among the best Apple TV Plus shows you can stream right now, and critics and audiences are just as hooked as we are (the first season still holds a near-perfect 97% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes). This adaptation of Min Jin Lee's bestselling novel returns this month with season 2, which continues the decades-spanning story of the Korean family led by matriarch Kim Sunja (Yuh-Jung Youn). The season 2 trailer shows a glimpse at a fraught reunion between Koh Hansu (Lee Min-ho) and Sunja as she's forced to make dangerous decisions to ensure her family's survival during the final days of World War II. Jumping ahead decades later, in 1989, Sunja's grandson, Solomon, wrestles with his heritage amid the biggest deal of his career as he pursues his own fortunes and future.
Watch on Apple TV Plus starting August 23
