'Most anticipated' horror series with star of 'outstanding' Netflix thriller

Netflix's The Beast In Me star Matthew Rhys has been unveiled in the first glimpse of his forthcoming series, already being hailed as the 'most anticipated' show.

Enthusiasts have been treated to an early peek at the horror comedy production scheduled for release next year, showcasing what appears to be a markedly different character for Rhys, who recently featured in the crime thriller.

Widow's Bay is slated to launch on Apple TV+ in early 2026, with the initial three episodes dropping on April 29.

Subsequent instalments of the 10-episode series will arrive weekly each Wednesday through to June 17.

Apple has unveiled a brief teaser trailer alongside confirmation of the premiere date. The condensed clip, running under 30 seconds, offers viewers a nocturnal glimpse of the eponymous Widow's Bay.

The setting presents itself as a place frozen in time, featuring narrow, dimly illuminated streets. Rhys is then depicted sitting solitary in a pub, continuing to drink whilst the venue's lights are progressively switched off around him, reports the Mirror.

The programme's synopsis reveals: "'Widow's Bay' is a quaint island town 40 miles off the coast of New England. But something lurks beneath the surface. Mayor Tom Loftis (Rhys) is desperate to revive his struggling community. There's no Wi-Fi, spotty cellular reception and he must contend with superstitious locals who believe their island is cursed."

The synopsis continues: "He wants these people to respect him. They don't. They think he is soft and cowardly. And he is. But Loftis is determined to build a better future for his teenage son and turn the island into a tourist destination. Miraculously, he succeeds: tourists are finally coming. Unfortunately, the locals were right. After decades of calm, the old stories that seemed too ludicrous to be true start happening again."

Welsh actor Matthew Rhys is set to portray Mayor Tom Loftis in the leading role. Beyond The Beast In Me, he recently featured in the Perry Mason reboot series and is slated to appear in Presumed Innocent's second season.

The ensemble cast features Kate O'Flynn, Stephen Root, Kingston Rumi Southwick, Kevin Caroll and Dale Dickey. Hiro Murai, whose directing credits include Atlanta and The Bear, will take charge of five episodes in Widow's Bay.

Katie Dippold has created the series and serves as showrunner. Her writing credentials span television programmes such as Parks and Recreation, alongside film screenplays for The Heat, Spy and the 2016 Ghostbusters remake.

Anticipation is already running high amongst viewers for the official release, with enthusiasm evident when the show's commission was announced earlier this year. One excited fan posted on the Apple TV subreddit: "Widow's Bay is probably my most anticipated series, and they've barely released anything on it."

Another viewer responded to the teaser trailer, stating: "If it has Matthew Rhys in it, I'm in. I wish someone would buy the rights to Perry Mason and continue that series. It was so good and HBO just gave up on it."

A third fan chimed in with: "You already had me at Matthew Rhys+horror comedy, but Stephen Root also being in the cast is the cherry on top (not to forget Hiro Murai and Andrew DeYoung from The Chair Company directing episodes in this)."

Widow's Bay is streaming on Apple TV from April 29.