'Defending Jacob' is the first Apple TV+ show to get a physical release

Apple Tv Defending Jacob Key Art 16
Apple Tv Defending Jacob Key Art 16 (Image credit: Apple TV+)

What you need to know

  • Defending Jacob is the first Apple TV+ show to get a physical disc release.
  • The show will release on DVD and Blu-ray this week.

Defending Jacob is the first Apple TV+ show to get a release on physical media with the Chris Evans thriller coming to DVD and Blu-ray this week.

First spotted by 9to5Mac, the release will carry the Paramount name without any Apple TV+ branding. Prices start at $20.

Chris Evans stars in DEFENDING JACOB, a limited series directed by Academy Award Nominee, Morten Tyldum (The Imitation Game). Based on the New York Times best-selling novel by William Landay, DEFENDING JACOB unfolds around a shocking crime that rocks a small Massachusetts town and one family in particular, forcing an assistant district attorney (Chris Evans) to choose between his sworn duty to uphold justice and his unconditional love for his son. This "addictive" thriller, filled with "chilling twists and turns", also stars Academy Award Winner J.K. Simmons (Whiplash) and 3-time Emmy Award Winner, Cherry Jones (The Handmaid's Tale).

This is the first time an Apple TV+ release has found its way onto disc and while it's unlikely to be a regular occurrence, it won't be the last. Travel show Long Way Up is already confirmed to be coming to digital media, for example. Apple never really explained how Apple TV+ exclusivity would work, but it appears clear that it simply refers to streaming rather than all types of content delivery mechanisms.

I'd still say that Apple TV+ is the best way to watch all of this content regardless, if only because it means you'll get it sooner than waiting for a disc release.

Oliver Haslam
Contributor

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too. Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.