Justin Timberlake helps AppleTV+ earn its ‘most-watched weekend’ with the premiere of Palmer

Justin Timberlake helps AppleTV+ earn its ‘most-watched weekend’ ever with the premiere of his film Palmer

His first leading role on the silver screen proved to be a success.

And AppleTV+ recorded its ‘most-watched weekend’ ever with the premiere of Palmer, which stars Justin Timberlake.

The ‘streaming service saw a 33% increase over average viewers’ thanks to Timberlake’s performance as an ex-con on a path to redemption, according to Variety.

Congrats! AppleTV+ recorded its ‘most-watched weekend’ ever with the premiere of Palmer, which stars Justin Timberlake

The second season of M. Night Shyamalan’s Servant and Dickinson, and big international numbers for Losing Alice also helped the streaming service achieve a banner weekend 15 months into its launch.

Palmer was rated as the second-biggest feature film launch for the service, run by Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht. 

The streaming service has also released the Beastie Boys Story, The Banker, On the Rocks and Greyhound, and recently acquired Coda during a $25million bidding war at the Sundance Film Festival.

Views: The 'streaming service saw a 33% increase over average viewers' thanks to Timberlake's performance as an ex-con on a path to redemption, according to Variety

Views: The ‘streaming service saw a 33% increase over average viewers’ thanks to Timberlake’s performance as an ex-con on a path to redemption, according to Variety

Just the two of us: Palmer was rated as the second-biggest feature film launch for the service, run by Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht

Just the two of us: Palmer was rated as the second-biggest feature film launch for the service, run by Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht

In Palmer, Timberlake’s character is a former high-school football star who made a few bad decisions and landed in prison.

After his 12-year prison stint, Palmer tries to build a new life while back at home at his grandmother’s house in a small Southern town.

‘Twelve years in prison I think will make you a little numb … we’ve seen stories about the trauma of incarceration and so that played a part in how I wanted to portray this character,’ Timberlake said in a recent interview, reported by AP News.

'Twelve years in prison I think will make you a little numb … we've seen stories about the trauma of incarceration and so that played a part in how I wanted to portray this character,' Timberlake said in a recent interview, reported by AP News

‘Twelve years in prison I think will make you a little numb … we’ve seen stories about the trauma of incarceration and so that played a part in how I wanted to portray this character,’ Timberlake said in a recent interview, reported by AP News

Palmer steps in to care for an eight-year-old nextdoor neighbor named Sam who has a history of being bullied for not conforming to societal pressures of gender norms.

Ryder Allen plays the role of Sam while Alisha Wainwright portrays Sam’s teacher at the school Palmer works at as a janitor. 

‘If a guy like this can find redemption in his acceptance of something that he knows absolutely nothing about and that in turn, that can give him self-worth and self-love, then, I mean let’s let that be a theme for this year, and the years to come,’ Timberlake said.

'If a guy like this can find redemption in his acceptance of something that he knows absolutely nothing about and that in turn, that can give him self-worth and self-love, then, I mean let's let that be a theme for this year, and the years to come,' Timberlake said; seen in 2019

‘If a guy like this can find redemption in his acceptance of something that he knows absolutely nothing about and that in turn, that can give him self-worth and self-love, then, I mean let’s let that be a theme for this year, and the years to come,’ Timberlake said; seen in 2019