Mike Judge (Idiocracy) must have seen the same thing we all did in Benicio Del Toro’s “a few small beers” sobriety-test scene in One Battle After Another.
Del Toro has been cast as the star of the upcoming Apple TV comedy Protective Custody, also starring and executive produced by Ben Stiller. Judge, Steve Hely and Dave King will write the series, which marks the first leading role in a comedy series for Del Toro.
Protective Custody will follow “a disgraced financier accused of massive fraud who is thrown into protective custody, where he must navigate prison politics, salvage his reputation and confront the consequences of his actions while awaiting trial,” according to the synopsis.
Apple will not say if Del Toro or Stiller (or someone else!) is that disgraced financier. Protective Custody is a reunion for Del Toro and Stiller following their excellent limited series Escape at Dannemora (2018). Protective Custody continues the collaboration between Judge, Hely and King last seen with Common Side Effects (2025).
Judge will direct the series, which hails from Apple Studios, Stiller’s Red Hour, Propagate Content and 3 Arts Entertainment. In addition to Stiller, John Lesher will executive produce for Red Hour; Ben Silverman, Howard Owens and Rodney Ferrell executive produce for Propagate Content; Michael Rotenberg and Oly Obst executive produce for 3 Arts Entertainment. Nanette Burstein also serves as an executive producer.
Stiller is one of Apple TV’s most prolific producers. He executive produces and often directs episodes of Severance, and Stiller’s documentary about his parents, Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost, is also on the platform. Stiller produces and stars in the upcoming feature-length comedy movie The Dink for Apple TV, and is in production for its limited series The Off Weeks, which he stars in and executive produces opposite Jessica Chastain. (Still no word on Chastain’s series The Savant!)
Del Toro is repped by LBI Entertainment, Range Media Partners and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman (HJTH). Stiller is repped by WME, ID and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern.
