Michelle MacLaren to Direct First Episodes and Executive Produce Apple TV+ Thriller ‘Disavowed’ Starring James Marsden

Apple TV+ has set Michelle MacLaren as director for the first two episodes and an executive producer for the upcoming action thriller “Disavowed,” Deadline reported on Aug. 28. The series stars James Marsden and is being created by Art Marcum and Matt Holloway, the duo behind titles including “Iron Man” and “Uncharted.”

Deadline’s report says MacLaren will direct the opening episodes of “Disavowed” and will executive produce through her overall deal with Apple TV+. The outlet also reports that MacLaren will share executive producer duties with Rebecca Hobbs via that arrangement, in addition to the series’ creators Marcum and Holloway serving as executive producers.

“Disavowed” is described as following “legendary CIA” work, placing the project within the spy-and-operations genre while Apple develops it as a streaming series for an initial season led by the Marsden starring vehicle. Apple TV+ has not, in the report, released a premiere date or an episode count.

The announcement adds another major television credit to MacLaren’s expanding slate of high-profile streaming and franchise work. Deadline notes her direction and executive production involvement on projects including “The Morning Show” and “Breaking Bad,” and her selection for “Disavowed” indicates Apple’s continued push to pair established genre talent with directors known for handling ensemble and narrative momentum.

For Marsden, “Disavowed” represents another leading-screen role in serialized television. Deadline’s reporting positions the series as “action-packed,” with the focus on a thriller premise built around CIA-related storylines, though specifics about characters, timelines, and key plot points were not detailed in the published material.

The creators behind the series, Marcum and Holloway, previously developed feature and franchise work that blends large-scale action sequences with character-driven intrigue. Deadline’s report ties that track record to “Disavowed,” which Apple TV+ will distribute internationally through its streaming platform once it is released.

With MacLaren attached to direct early episodes, the production is expected to establish core tone, pacing, and visual style from the outset, a common approach for series where streaming audiences depend on rapid immersion in plot mechanics. The first two episodes, as described, will be the ones that most directly reflect the showrunner’s intended blueprint for the series’ action-thriller identity.

Apple TV+ and the “Disavowed” production team have not provided further public details in the report regarding casting beyond Marsden, production start dates, or release timing. Additional announcements about the remainder of the directing staff and supporting cast would typically follow closer to production milestones and marketing rollout.