🔥 Smoke (2025) on Apple TV+: Cast, Plot, Release Date & Why This Twisty Thriller Will Keep You Guessing
- Boxofficehype
- Jun 23
- 3 min read
🔥 Truth Is a Dangerous Game: 'Smoke' Premieres June 27 on Apple TV+
“You want answers? You’ll have to walk through fire to get them.”
From the twisted brilliance of author and screenwriter Dennis Lehane (Mystic River, Shutter Island, Gone Baby Gone) comes Smoke, a searing new crime drama miniseries arriving on Apple TV+ on June 27, 2025. With a powerhouse cast led by Taron Egerton and Jurnee Smollett, Smoke is a high-stakes descent into obsession, corruption, and the chilling art of arson.
🔥 What Is Smoke About?
Set in the mysterious, rain-soaked landscape of the Pacific Northwest, Smoke follows Dave Gudsen, a haunted arson investigator played by Taron Egerton, and Detective Michelle Calderone (Jurnee Smollett), a tough-as-nails cop with a sharp mind and a fire in her past. When a string of deadly fires hints at the return of two elusive serial arsonists, the duo is pulled into a complex web of lies, grief, trauma, and truth, where every ember hides a motive, and every flame leaves a scar.
Inspired by the Firebug podcast—which delved into the real-life crimes of John Leonard Orr, a fire investigator turned arsonist—Smoke is not just a procedural. It’s a psychological thriller rooted in human frailty, guilt, and the terrifying allure of control.
🌫️ Meet the Cast
The series features an ensemble that burns bright with talent:
Taron Egerton (Rocketman, Black Bird) as Dave Gudsen, a brilliant yet emotionally fractured arson investigator.
Jurnee Smollett (Lovecraft Country, Birds of Prey) as Michelle Calderone, a detective determined to uncover the truth, at any cost.
John Leguizamo as Esposito, whose connection to the fires runs deeper than it seems.
Greg Kinnear as Harvey Englehart, a respected official with secrets to bury.
Rafe Spall, Anna Chlumsky, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, Adina Porter, Hannah Emily Anderson, and Dakota Daulby round out the emotionally rich and unpredictable supporting cast.
Each character adds layers to a story where no one is innocent, and the fire doesn’t care who it consumes.
🎵 A Soundtrack That Haunts
Setting the sonic tone of Smoke is "Dialing In", a new track by none other than Thom Yorke (Radiohead, The Smile). Moody, sparse, and ominous, the opening theme feels like a slow burn, much like the show itself.
🔥 Behind the Scenes
Dennis Lehane, a master of character-driven noir, created and executive-produced the series. Joining him behind the camera are:
Taron Egerton (executive producer)
Richard Plepler (former HBO CEO)
Kary Antholis, Bradley Thomas, Marc Smerling, Kari Skogland, and others
With production handled by Apple Studios, Imperative Entertainment, and EDEN Productions, Smoke promises cinematic quality with an indie heart—a prestige miniseries grounded in moral ambiguity.
🔥 Why You Should Watch
If you’re a fan of:
Slow-burn thrillers like True Detective
Psychological crime series like Mindhunter
Complex, wounded protagonists à la Sharp Objects or The Night Of
Then Smoke is your next must-watch. It’s not just a “whodunit”—it’s a “why-do-it,” peeling back the motivations behind destruction, the trauma beneath the badge, and the line between justice and obsession.
📅 Mark Your Calendar
🗓️ Premiere Date: June 27, 2025
📺 Streaming On: Apple TV+
🎵 Theme Song: “Dialing In” by Thom Yorke
🔥 How close can you get to the truth before it burns you alive?
With Smoke, Apple TV+ is lighting the match to one of 2025’s most anticipated dramas. Don’t miss the premiere—and remember: in this world, everything leaves ashes.