Since its launch in 2019, Apple TV (originally Apple TV+) has focused on first-party content. Mostly this consists of shows it directly finances, like Foundation, Masters of the Air, and Ted Lasso. It has picked up finished movies, but still, it normally pays for the permanent rights to them. The obvious incentive here is control. There’s no risk of titles disappearing due to expired deals, as there might be on services like Netflix and HBO Max.
Now, though, Apple has done the unthinkable: paid for the right to stream outside content. Here’s what’s available, and how and where you can stream it. I’d also like to float some analysis on why Apple may have made the move.
The third-party movies streaming on Apple TV
Just the beginning, or a blip?
At a glance, at least, there doesn’t seem to be much unifying the titles Apple is streaming. A number of them would probably be considered classics or at least popular, but a few most definitely aren’t. Here are the 19 options for US viewers as of mid-August 2026:
Of these, my personal picks would be Arrival, The Martian, E.T., and Zodiac. I should note that while the first three are relatively family-friendly, Zodiac is about the real-life serial killer of the same name. It’s not a gory movie — but it makes you feel for the victims, and knowing these killings happened more or less the way they’re depicted is terrifying enough.
Third-party movies are also reportedly streaming in Canada and the UK, but I can’t (yet) confirm that the selection is the same. In any event, you need to be an Apple TV subscriber to access the expanded library. That’s normally $13 per month or $99 per year. If you’re only looking to watch a handful of these movies, you can sign up for a free seven-day trial. Apple also offers extended trials, although these are harder to come by.
So why is Apple breaking with its old strategy?
Unstoppable force, meet immovable object
Some of these movies are likely meant to be “halo” offerings. That is, they’re familiar names that could get you in the door long enough to get hooked on the rest of Apple’s catalog. That’s especially important in Apple’s case, since its library otherwise consists entirely of exclusives. There’s nowhere else you will have seen Pluribus or Widow’s Bay outside a few YouTube clips. Apple’s rivals employ this strategy the time — shows like The Office and Frasier might not be new and sexy, but they’re recognizable, reassuring viewers they’ll have something worth watching.
Why would Apple add licensed movies now, though? That’s tougher to say. If nothing else, the company is probably looking for ways of growing subscribers that don’t involve spending a fortune. Licensing deals aren’t cheap, but they’re a bargain compared to spending tens of millions of dollars on a show that might flop anyway. Apple has enough disappointments in its library. For every Pluribus, there’s a show like See or City on Fire.
Apple may need to lean more heavily on service revenue. AI datacenters have pushed RAM prices so high that the company has had to raise hardware prices across the board, even in circumstances where it might be willing to reduce profit margins. If it can get more of its customers to pay for Apple TV — or better yet, the entire Apple One package — it can offset some of the damage. which will only get worse once the prices of iPhones shoot sky-high.
