Overview
- The announcement, which broke May 22, 2026, reports that Ben Stiller is attached to star in and executive produce Protective Custody while Apple weighs a possible series order.
- Mike Judge will co-write, co-showrun and executive produce the show with Steve Hely and Dave King, and Judge is also attached to direct.
- According to the official logline, the series follows a disgraced financier accused of massive fraud who is placed in protective custody and must navigate prison politics as he awaits trial.
- Protective Custody is in development with Apple Studios, Red Hour, Propagate Content, and 3 Arts Entertainment and lists multiple executive producers including John Lesher, Ben Silverman, Michael Rotenberg, Oly Obst, and Nanette Burstein.
- If ordered, the series would mark a prominent leading comedy role for Stiller and extend his creative relationship with Apple, a development that could broaden the streamer’s comedy slate and influence casting and production choices there.