Apple Original Films has secured the pitch to adapt The Teacher, the bestselling psychological thriller by Freida McFadden, into a feature film for Apple TV. The deal emerged from a competitive situation in which screenwriters Spenser Cohen and Anna Halberg — fresh off success with their horror-leaning project Tarot — sold the concept and will write the screenplay. Cohort producer Brian Kavanaugh-Jones will shepherd the project for Range Studios, and McFadden herself is set to serve as an executive producer alongside the writing team. (Deadline first reported the news.)
Published in early 2024, The Teacher follows high school math teacher Eve as she becomes increasingly suspicious of Addie, a student linked to a past scandal, at the same time that Eve’s husband, also a teacher, forms a complicated bond with the same pupil. The story unfolds through twists and layers of psychological manipulation and revenge, hallmarks that have made the novel a bestseller in the thriller genre.
Apple’s acquisition of the pitch signals another move by the company to expand its roster of book-to-screen adaptationsthat appeal to both loyal readers and streaming audiences. Apple TV has increasingly invested in original films and series based on well-known literary properties, a strategy that has helped bolster subscriber engagement with dramatic, character-driven content. Recent Apple TV hits in this space have ranged from serialized dramas to feature films, reflecting a broader entertainment strategy that blends familiar narratives with high production values.
The creative team behind The Teacher brings both genre experience and critical success. Cohnen and Halberg’s previous work includes Tarot, a horror-genre feature that earned modest box-office success relative to its budget, demonstrating that the duo can navigate suspenseful storytelling with commercial viability. Their involvement as both writers and executive producers could help preserve the book’s psychological intensity while expanding it into visual form for Apple TV audiences.
For Apple TV, adapting The Teacher also aligns with a trend toward psychological thrillers and suspense stories that engage viewers through character complexity and narrative unpredictability. Apple’s platform has seen strong performance from series and films that explore layered emotional and thematic territory — a pattern that suggests The Teacher may fill a similar niche in the service’s catalog.
Details about production timelines, casting, and release dates remain under wraps, as the project is still in early development. While Apple has not commented publicly on the deal, the involvement of McFadden and her collaborators indicates that the adaptation aims to stay true to the novel’s tone and depth. Given the continued consumer appetite for psychological thrillers on streaming platforms, The Teacher could become a significant addition to Apple TV’s lineup when it eventually reaches audiences.
