Widow's Bay could be getting the universe treatment
An Apple TV executive confirms spin-offs are on the table.
If you think Apple TV has run out of tricks, think again. Since launching in 2019 (they called it Apple TV+ back then, don’t ask me why), the streamer’s quietly churned out some of the better genre telly in recent memory. M. Night Shyamalan kicked things off with ‘Servant’, giving us that signature eerie-family-in-peril flavour, and ‘For All Mankind’ rewrote the space race in a parallel universe fashion. Over the years, they’ve thrown up the odd Stephen King project (‘Lisey’s Story’), the genuinely intense ‘Shining Girls’, and that unexpected new take on ‘Cape Fear’ earlier this year. But even with all that pedigree, nothing quite prepared anyone for the arrival of ‘Widow’s Bay’ in 2026.
The Strangest Hit No One Saw Coming
‘Widow’s Bay’ has got a few surprises hiding under its rocky surface. It’s the brainchild of Katie Dippold, best known from ‘Parks and Recreation’ rather than supernatural drama – not exactly an obvious casting there. The premise: a tiny, windswept island gripped by a proper supernatural curse, where the locals can’t actually leave for fear of horrifying consequences on the mainland.
This isn’t one of those Apple projects weighed down with A-listers and Oscar-bait trailers either. In fact, when it started, ‘Widow’s Bay’ flew largely under the radar. But by episode three, the hype train had well and truly left the station, with everyone from Stephen King himself to Guillermo del Toro loudly singing its praises on social media. That doesn't just happen every day.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
By the time the first series wrapped, ‘Widow’s Bay’ was pulling off the virtually impossible: it premiered at a spotless 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and, after the finale, still clings to a frankly ridiculous 98%. If online opinion means anything (jury’s still out, in my personal view), that’s a seriously rare feat – even for so-called prestige telly. No surprise then that Apple wasted no time officially locking in a second series.
How Many More Deadly Seasons?
If you’re worried about Apple yanking the rug after season two, good news: Matt Cherniss, who runs the programming at Apple TV, seems keen for a long run. Here’s the most revealing bit from his latest interview with TheWrap:
"Nothing would make me happier than five more seasons of Widow’s Bay, and I know Katie is already hard at work. Those episodes are also a labour of love for a lot of people, and they do take some time, but as soon as they’re ready, we will be excited to take them and give them to the audience."
If Cherniss gets his wish, we could be revisiting this island for years yet. Not exactly bleak news for fans (or Apple’s accountants).
Expanding 'Widow’s Bay' Beyond the Island?
Asked about potential spin-offs, Cherniss didn’t shy away from the possibility. In his words:
"As I said, as big as she can make it. I think it’s amazing that she has ideas about how to expand out the Widow’s Bay universe. It’s something we’re all for."
The show’s own rules aren’t entirely spin-off friendly though. The key lore: anyone born on the island has to stay put. Heading to the mainland apparently triggers all sorts of unspeakable consequences (never straightforward, is it?). That said, Dippold’s already shown she’s happy to muck about with the timeline – an entire episode in series one unfolds back in the village’s past. So, it wouldn’t be wild to see prequels, or maybe later generations elsewhere, much like what they attempted with 'IT: Welcome to Derry'.
- 2019: Apple TV+ launches with 'Servant’, ‘For All Mankind’
- 'Lisey’s Story’, ‘Shining Girls’, and others follow
- 2026: ‘Widow’s Bay’ appears, Katie Dippold creates
- Stephen King, Guillermo del Toro endorse the show online
- Debut at 100% Rotten Tomatoes, currently sits at 98%
- Series 2 officially greenlit
- Apple open to five+ seasons and spin-offs
Worth noting: Apple’s not new to this sort of expansion, either. ‘For All Mankind’ got itself a spin-off (‘Star City’), so we’ve got precedent for more trips back to Widow’s Bay, provided Dippold’s got the stories up her sleeve.