The 2026 series is the story’s third adaptation, after Martin Scorsese’s 1991 thriller and the 1962 film starring Robert Mitchum.

See the casts of Cape Fear over the years, from the 1962 original to the new series

The 2026 series is the story's third adaptation, after Martin Scorsese's 1991 thriller and the 1962 film starring Robert Mitchum.

June 5, 2026 4:00 p.m. ET

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Javier Bardem on Apple TV's 'Cape Fear'; Robert De Niro in 1991's 'Cape Fear'; Robert Mitchum in 1962's 'Cape Fear'. Credit:

Apple; Everett(2)

- Javier Bardem, Patrick Wilson, and Amy Adams lead Apple TV's new series adaptation of *Cape Fear*.

- The story, first told in John D. MacDonald’s 1957 novel *The Executioners*, was previously adapted into films in 1962 and 1991.

- Robert Mitchum and Robert De Niro previously played the villain Max Cady, who is portrayed in the Apple series by Bardem.

Apple TV is introducing a new generation to *Cape Fear*.

The streamer's new series is the third adaptation of John D. MacDonald's 1957 novel *The Executioners*, which was first adapted into 1962's *Cape Fear*, directed by J. Lee Thompson and starring Robert Mitchum and Gregory Peck. Nearly three decades later, Martin Scorsese released his brutal adaptation, also titled *Cape Fear *(1991), starring Robert De Niro and Nick Nolte.

Thirty-five years later, Apple is debuting a new adaptation, produced by Scorsese and fellow filmmaking legend Steven Spielberg. With a cast that includes Javier Bardem and Patrick Wilson, we're eager to see how the series, the first two episodes of which are now streaming, stacks up against the previous iterations.

In the meantime, see how the stars of the new series compare with their counterparts from the earlier adaptations.

Patrick Wilson as Tom Bowden

Patrick Wilson on Apple TV's 'Cape Fear'; Nick Nolte in 1991's 'Cape Fear'; Gregory Peck in 1962's 'Cape Fear'.

Apple; Everett(2)

Patrick Wilson stars in the new adaptation as Tom Bowden, a lawyer who works alongside his wife.

In both the 1962 and 1991 versions, the character is named Sam Bowden, as he is in the novel. Gregory Peck plays Sam in the 1962 adaptation, which is much more faithful to the source material. Peck, who also played a lawyer that year in *To Kill a Mockingbird*, makes a cameo in the 1991 version.

Nick Nolte plays Sam in Scorsese's film, which reconfigures the lawyer's involvement in the central case regarding convict Max Cady. Rather than catching Max in the act that sent him to prison, Sam is Max's public defender who intentionally tanks the case.

Though Wilson's version of Bowden prosecuted the Cady case, the actor was inspired by Nolte. "I love Nick Nolte. I really do," Wilson recently told **. "One of my favorite movies ever, actually, is *48 Hours*."

"He's so commanding on screen," Wilson added. "I've always been fascinated by his performances, and [*Cape Fear*] being no exception, because you always knew that even if he was playing a good guy, from the way that he talked, you knew there's some demons there."

Amy Adams as Anna Bowden

Amy Adams on 2026's 'Cape Fear'; Jessica Lange in 1991's 'Cape Fear'; Polly Bergen in 1962's 'Cape Fear'.

Apple; Everett(2)

In the Apple TV series, Amy Adams plays Anna Bowden, Tom's wife and a fellow lawyer. The couple married after Tom prosecuted the Cady case.

The character, called Carol in the novel, has a different name in each version. In the 1962 film, her name is Peggy, and she's played by singer and actress Polly Bergen, whose later credits include *Cry-Baby* (1990) and a memorable turn on *The Sopranos**. *The 1991 film renames the character Leigh, and she's played by the great Jessica Lange.

Adams' Anna is a little more similar to Nolte's Sam than she is to Leigh, though the actress told EW she "wasn't thinking about Nick Nolte, per se," when prepping for the part.

"There's such a gentle strength to Jessica Lange that I always love," said Adams of her predecessor. "So it's something about that, about having a strength. But also there's something very permeable about that character, and so I wanted that balance between vulnerability and strength."

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Javier Bardem as Max Cady

Javier Bardem on Apple TV's 'Cape Fear'; Robert De Niro in 1991's 'Cape Fear'; Robert Mitchum in 1962's 'Cape Fear'.

Apple; Everett(2)

And now we've come to the main attraction: Max Cady. Javier Bardem plays the criminal antagonist Max Cady, who is released from prison and immediately seeks revenge on Sam — and his family.

The role was originated onscreen by Robert Mitchum, who was well known for his villainous role in another classic — 1955's *The Night of the Hunter*. Mitchum joined Peck for a cameo in the 1991 adaptation.

Scorsese cast frequent collaborator Robert De Niro as Max in 1991's *Cape Fear*, resulting in one of the actor's most riveting (and unsettling) performances. Bardem's version of Max in the 2026 series seems to be closer in tone to De Niro's iteration.

"I've seen that movie many times," Bardem told EW. "Once I knew I was going to play Max Cady, the first thought that came to me is, 'Don't even try, Javier, to get even close to what De Niro did with that iconic performance.'"

Bardem booked a theater for a private screening of the 1991 film. "As I sat in that dark room, I kind of asked for De Niro's blessing," he said. "I hope to be, at least, a reminder of how good [his] performance is."

Lily Collias as Natalie Bowden

Lily Collias on Apple TV's 'Cape Fear'; Juliette Lewis in 1991's 'Cape Fear'; Lori Martin in 1962's 'Cape Fear'.

Apple; Everett(2)

Anna and Tom's children unfortunately find themselves in Max's crosshairs. Lily Collias, who previously appeared in *Roofman* (2025), plays Natalie, the Bowdens' teenage daughter and a key figure in all three versions of *Cape Fear*. (A new addition in the 2026 adaptation is the Bowdens' son, Zack, played by Joe Anders, son of Kate Winslet and director Sam Mendes.)

In the 1962 film, Lori Martin plays the Bowdens' teen daughter, Nancy. Though *Cape Fear* was Martin's most notable film, she was well-known at the time for starring on the NBC drama *National Velvet*.

Juliette Lewis played the Bowdens' daughter, Danielle, in the 1991 adaptation of *Cape Fear*. Lewis was just 18 years old when she was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her performance, which involved an intense and polarizing assault scene with De Niro.

Following the film's release, Lewis praised Scorsese's approach to depicting violence, telling the *Los Angeles Times*, "He makes you not be able to look away because it’s so realistically done. He makes you feel disturbed by that."

Jamie Hector as Ray Rawlins

Telly Savalas in 1962's 'Cape Fear'; Joe Don Baker in 1991's 'Cape Fear'; Jamie Hector on Apple TV's 'Cape Fear'.

everett (2); apple tv+

Another key player in *Cape Fear* is Ray Rawlins, a private investigator who works with Anna. He's played by Jamie Hector, best known for portraying Jerry Edgar on *Bosch *and gangster Marlo Stanfield on *The Wire*.

Hector shared photos from a recent Apple TV series premiere event, writing on Instagram, "If you love psychological thrillers, lock into *Cape Fear*, it will for sure spook you out!"

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Telly Savalas, iconic star of the classic detective series *Kojak*, played a version of the P.I. in the 1962 film, named Charlie Sievers. Sam Bowden hires Charlie to track down another of Max's victims to help bring him to justice.

In 1991's *Cape Fear*, Bowden hires a P.I. named Claude Kersek to keep tabs on Max. In that version, the character is played by Joe Don Baker, the great character actor known for playing toughs in films like *Walking Tall *(1973) and *Fletch* (1985).

Where can I watch Cape Fear?

*Cape Fear* is available to stream on Apple TV. New episodes drop weekly on Fridays.

The 1962 and 1991 adaptations are currently available to rent on Amazon Prime Video.

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Original Article on Source

Source: “EW Thriller”