Dark Matter release date, trailer, cast, plot and everything we know

Joel Edgerton in Apple TV Plus' Dark Matter
(Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

The next twisty sci-fi drama show to come to Apple TV Plus is a new multiverse thriller starring Joel Edgerton called Dark Matter, which is set to land soon.

Similar to recent Apple series Constellation, Dark Matter looks set to use complex science to tell a nuanced character story with twists and turns across the board. Expect another head-scratching but enjoyable story.

Based on true quantum science in a way that'll please physics fans, and more specifically a book about them released in 2016, Dark Matter seems like a twisty thriller that'll make you think for its entire nine-episode run.

Intrigued? Here's what you need to know about Dark Matter.

Dark Matter release date

The first two episodes of Dark Matter will land on Apple TV Plus on Wednesday, May 8, and then new ones will air weekly from then. There are nine episodes in total, so you'll be able to stream them all from Wednesday, June 26 when the finale arrives.

As an original production for Apple, Dark Matter will debut on Apple TV Plus, so you'll need to be subscribed to the streamer (or using an Apple TV Plus free trial) to watch it.

Dark Matter trailer

On Thursday, April 11, Apple released its first trailer for Dark Matter (well, not including some sizzle reel snaps earlier in the year in a wider Apple TV Plus trailer).

The trailer shows action and adventure and introduces most of our major characters (and the actors playing them). However the video description does also provide a major spoiler, so watch it through our site rather than clicking through to YouTube!

Dark Matter cast

The main character in Dark Matter is Jason Dessen, a physicist professor who has a family in Chicago. He's played by Australian actor Joel Edgerton who's been in loads. You may recognize him from The Great Gatsby, the prequel trilogy of Star Wars, The Stranger or Master Gardener more recently.

Joining Edgerton are Jennifer Connelly (Requiem for a Dream, Top Gun: Maverick), Alice Braga (I Am Legend, A Murder at the End of the World) and Jimmi Simpson (Westworld TV show, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia). Their roles are, for now, unspecified, though first-look images suggest that Connelly's character will be romantically close to Edgerton's, so she could be his wife or a temptress in this new world.

Dark Matter plot

Joel Edgerton in Apple TV Plus' Dark Matter

(Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

Jason Dessen is a normal family man, until he's kidnapped from the streets of Chicago. Upon awakening, he discovers that he's been taken into an alternative version of his own life, based on decisions he made in the past. 

Along with some help, Jason tries to escape back to his own reality, but his journey takes him across many other alternative versions of his life which have all been created from his own past decisions. To get back to his wife and family, Jason will need to face his past and survive in the changing worlds.

As that plot description suggests, this story is based on the many-worlds theory of quantum mechanics, which suggests that every time you make a certain decision in life, another alternate reality is created in which you picked the other path.

Dark Matter book

The TV show Dark Matter is based on the 2016 novel of the same name by Blake Crouch, with the author also serving as showrunner and one of the writers.

The Dark Matter book was hailed as an exciting sci-fi action thriller, which makes it perfectly poised for the screen. 

If you're the kind of person who likes to read a book before you watch the show, you'll be happy to know that it's still very easy to find. In fact, here's a link to the book on Amazon:

Tom Bedford
Streaming and Ecommerce Writer

Tom is the streaming and ecommerce writer at What to Watch, covering streaming services in the US and UK. His goal is to help you navigate the busy and confusing online video market, to help you find the TV, movies and sports that you're looking for without having to spend too much money.