Silo Trailer: Rebecca Ferguson Leads A Star-Studded Adaptation Of The Dystopian Bestseller

Apple TV+ has assembled a star-studded cast for its new post-apocalyptic sci-fi series, "Silo," based on the bestselling book series of the same name by Hugh Howey. Set to premiere this May, "Silo" has now released its first trailer, where you can see heavyweight talents like Rebecca Ferguson ("Dune," "Mission: Impossible – Fallout"), Tim Robbins ("The Shawshank Redemption," "Mystic River"), rapper Common ("John Wick: Chapter 2"), Rashida Jones ("Parks and Recreation"), and David Oyelowo ("Selma," "Chaos Walking").

Back in 2021 when "Silo" was still finding its cast, the series — which hails from "Justified" showrunner Graham Yost and Oscar-nominated director Morten Tyldum ("The Imitation Game") — was going by a different title, "Wool." That's the name of Howey's first book, collecting his first short story, "Wool," and four follow-up novellas. Howey has since written two more novels, "Shift" and "Dust," and is currently working on an unnamed fourth.

"Silo" is not only the name of Howey's book series but it also gives a better idea of where the TV show is set: namely, a giant silo, which extends hundreds of stories below ground. This is where "men and women live in a society full of regulations they believe are meant to protect them," according to the description of the series provided by Apple TV+.

Based on this teaser trailer, the production value for "Silo" looks to be quite impressive, on par with what we saw in the Apple TV+ adaptation of "Foundation," based on another well-known series of sci-fi stories from Isaac Asimov. While we're on the subject of adaptations, "Silo" appears to be taking a page from "The Road" in that even the characters don't know what led to the end of the world. There's also a hint of M. Night Shyamalan's "The Village" (and its whole story of a community that isolates itself for fear of the outside world) in the way David Oyelowo's character declares: "We do not know why there is no life outside the silo. We only know that here is safe, and there is not."

What's interesting about "Silo" is that AMC Studios is producing this series, but instead of taking it to its own streaming service, AMC+, the studio is outsourcing its distribution to Apple TV+. With "Silo" showing promise and the Emmy-winning "Ted Lasso" returning to the streamer for its third — and potentially final — season this month, Apple TV+ is definitely giving viewers incentive to jump on or restart a subscription this spring.

Here's the official synopsis for "Silo:" "In a ruined and toxic future, thousands live in a giant silo deep underground. After its sheriff breaks a cardinal rule and residents die mysteriously, engineer Juliette (Rebecca Ferguson) starts to uncover shocking secrets and the truth about the silo."

"Silo" debuts on Apple TV+ on Friday, May 5, 2023.