Yesterday at the Stateside Theatre in Austin, Texas, Apple TV+ celebrated the world premiere of its upcoming comedy “The Big Door Prize” at SXSW.

Created and executive produced by Emmy winner David West Read, the 10-episode, half-hour series will debut globally with the first three episodes on Wednesday, March 29, 2023, followed by one new episode weekly every Wednesday through May 17 on Apple TV+.

Based on M.O. Walsh’s novel of the same name, “The Big Door Prize” tells the story of a small town that is forever changed when a mysterious machine appears in the general store, promising to reveal each resident’s true life potential. Dusty Hubbard (O’Dowd), a seemingly content, cheerful family man and high school teacher, watches everyone around him reevaluate their life choices and ambitions — based on the machine’s printouts — and is forced to question whether he is truly as happy as he once thought. While he remains skeptical of the machine, his wife, Cass (Dennis), indulges in the dream that there’s something bigger out there for her. Like many of Deerfield's residents, the couple has lived a relatively safe, uncomplicated life, until the arrival of the Morpho machine. However, all of that is about to change when the community is forced to reconcile with their unfulfilled achievements in pursuit of a better future. 

Cast Members in our Cover Photo for The Big Door Prize: Chris O’Dowd, Gabrielle Dennis, Djouliet Amara, Sammy Fourlas, Josh Segarra, Crystal Fox, creator David West Read and Ally Maki attend the world premiere event at SXSW at the Stateside Theatre in Austin, Texas.

Apple TV+ wins Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film: 'The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse'

Last night, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences honors Apple Original Film The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse with the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film, at the 95th Annual Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles.

“We are so proud of Charlie and the brilliant team who brought The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse to the screen and we sincerely thank the Academy for tonight’s recognition,” said Zack Van Amburg, Apple’s head of Worldwide Video. “This powerful story has deeply affected audiences around the world and has shown that no matter what age you are or where you live, it’s never too late to spread more compassion, empathy, and kindness in our daily lives. Congratulations to everyone involved, including our teams across the globe. We are all celebrating with you tonight.”

“The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse shines a light on the magic of discovering connection in unexpected places, and we are honored that the Academy has awarded this beautifully moving film tonight,” said Jamie Erlicht, Apple’s head of Worldwide Video. “Bringing Charlie’s visually stunning world to such vibrant animated life, this short reinforces the strength that can be found in our common humanity and we toast the entire creative team on this uplifting cinematic achievement.”

Congratulations to the team behind The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse on their Academy Award! Your beautiful short tells an enduring story about the meaning of kindness, acceptance, and hope.

— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) March 13, 2023

Archive: Apple TV News