Star-studded Apple TV+ Swan Song Oscar-bait gets release date

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Star-studded Apple TV+ Swang Song Oscar bait gets release date
Mahershala Ali in “Swan Song,” coming soon to Apple TV+.
Photo: Apple TV+

The genre-bending film Swan Song is reportedly nearing its debut on Apple TV+. It’ll star Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali, and the cast includes Glenn Close, Awkwafina and Naomie Harris.

In addition to appearing on the streaming service, Apple is planning a limited theater release beginning December 17 to qualify the movie for Oscar awards.

Swan Song is sci-fi and more

Apple told Deadline that Ali will play a “husband and father who is presented with the risky chance of surviving a terminal illness.” The official synopsis says, “Set in the near future, the film explores how far someone will go, and how much they’ll sacrifice, to make a happier life for the people they love.”

“You always look for something special in a script,” Ali told Deadline. “First and foremost, the dilemma, the choice facing this character spoke to me in such a deep way. After I committed, it just seemed like so many of us were processing our mortality and it spoke to me in such a strong way because I had never seen anything quite like this one before and I was excited to wrestle with the character’s dilemma on a daily basis.”

Brings together plenty of talent

Mahershala Ali is both an actor and a rapper. He won Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor for Moonlight and Green Book, and has a SAG award and a Golden Globe. On TV, he’s been in True Detective and House of Cards.

Swan Song was written and by another Academy Award winner, Benjamin Cleary. He won an Academy Award for Best Live Action Short for Stutterer.

Glenn Close is, of course, a screen legend. Awkwafina is herself an actor and rapper, and has a Golden Globe. Naomie Harris was nominated for an Oscar.

Joining plenty of films on Apple TV+

Apple’s streaming service already has a slate of movies. There’s On the Rocks (starring Bill Murray), Greyhound (starring Tom Hanks), Palmer (starring Justin Timberlake), Cherry (starring Tom Holland), The Banker (starring Anthony Mackie and Samuel L. Jackson) and more. Watching any of these requires a $4.99-per-month subscription fee.

And many more could be on the way. Apple TV+ might premiere a new show or movie every week in 2022.

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