Tranquility may be nothing more than an illusion, especially when, on the other side of the door, a killer seems to know every weakness of his victims. This is Nocturne, the new Apple TV crime series that will premiere on October 30, 2026 with the first two episodes of its ten-episode run, followed by a new installment every Friday until December 25, 2026. The series pits two intense performers against each other — Liev Schreiber and Stephen Graham — in a psychological duel that turns a small Pennsylvania town into a hunting ground. Apple TV has released the official trailer for the series: watch it below.
Nocturne, the plot of the crime series with Liev Schreiber and Stephen Graham
Nocturne is adapted from the international bestseller The Sandman by Lars Kepler (the pseudonym of the Swedish writing duo Alexandra Coelho Ahndoril and Alexander Ahndoril). At the heart of the story is a detective forced to confront a serial killer as brilliant as he is ruthless, in a confrontation that will eventually involve his own family. The series follows Jonah Lynn, portrayed by Liev Schreiber, a former serviceman who becomes a homicide detective. After years spent patrolling Philadelphia’s toughest streets, Jonah decides to move his family to a small town in western Pennsylvania, seeking a quieter life at last.
His plan to start anew is quickly upended. The community he has joined—and the detective’s own family—soon fall under the threat of Jurek Walter, a serial killer portrayed by Stephen Graham. Walter is described as diabolically cunning, able to manipulate those around him and turn every investigation into a psychological game. The pursuit of Walter’s latest missing victim leads Jonah to involve Saga Bauer, his adopted daughter played by Zazie Beetz, who is also an FBI agent. It will be Saga who must face the dangerous killer directly. And in that moment, Jonah is forced to ask how far he is willing to go to protect the people he loves.
The cast and production teams
Leading the Nocturne cast are Liev Schreiber, Zazie Beetz, and Stephen Graham, joined by Bill Camp, Rory Culkin, Chrissy Metz, Poorna Jagannathan, and Gary Carr. The series is helmed by Rowan Joffe, a BAFTA winner, and John Hlavin. Joffe created the series, while Hlavin developed it for television: both are writers and executive producers, with Hlavin also serving as showrunner. The first two episodes are directed by Tim Van Patten, an acclaimed director and producer.
From Lars Kepler’s The Sandman to Nocturne
Nocturne draws on the international success of Lars Kepler’s crime novels. The series particularly takes inspiration from The Sandman, part of the renowned Joona Linna detective saga. The project was initially announced under the title Lazarus before being renamed Nocturne. The name Lars Kepler is a true assurance for thriller fans: the ten crime novels published by the authors have sold a combined 20 million copies worldwide, have been translated into 40 languages, and have been distributed in more than 170 territories.
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