Heist stories often follow a familiar blueprint: assemble the crew, lay out the plan, watch everything go sideways, and then hold your breath for the final getaway. Apple TV's new crime thriller 12 12 12 flips that formula on its head by asking a bold question: What if the robbery itself is just the middle chapter?
Premiering this Friday, November 13, the eight-part series stars Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan in a high-stakes cat-and-mouse chase across Europe. At its core is a €1 billion bank heist, but the show's unique structure splits the story into three distinct timelines: the 12 months of meticulous planning, the 12 hours of the heist itself, and the 12 days of chaotic aftermath. This ambitious approach gives the series room to explore the preparation and fallout that most heist films cram into a few quick scenes.
What Is '12 12 12' About?
The plot centers on Mackie's disgraced FBI agent, Jack Strickland, who is hunting Dornan's career criminal, Paul Galvin. Their pursuit leads to a bank vault buried deep beneath Zurich's streets. While the setup sounds like a classic good-versus-evil showdown, 12 12 12 is less interested in whether the criminals succeed and more fascinated by the machinery behind such an operation. The year-long planning phase allows the series to delve into how a heist of this magnitude comes together, while the 12-hour execution delivers the tense, pressure-cooker thrills fans expect.
The show also tackles the part most heist stories rush through: what happens after the job. In this way, 12 12 12 feels like a blend of MobLand and Ocean's Eleven, combining elaborate planning with messy family dynamics. At the heart of that tension are Paul and his older brother Bobby, played by Jack Kesy, whose complicated relationship adds another layer of conflict. Each episode weaves between the three timelines, connecting the planning, execution, and aftermath of the same crime—an unusually expansive way to tell a heist story.
Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan Lead the Cast
Mackie and Dornan not only headline but also serve as executive producers. Mackie's Jack Strickland is a fallen agent chasing Dornan's Paul Galvin, setting up a central rivalry that drives the series. The supporting cast includes Kesy, Agathe Rousselle, Sallie Harmsen, José Garcia, Kali Reis, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, and Patrick Fabian. Reis brings recent genre and prestige-TV experience from True Detective and Mercy. Interestingly, Mackie and Dornan previously shared the screen in the 2019 sci-fi film Synchronic, making this a reunion—though this time they're on opposite sides of the law.
Created by Dudi Appleton and Jim Keeble, who also executive produce and write several episodes, the series features additional scripts from Samantha Corbin-Miller, Joe Murtagh, Jamie Carragher, and Tolula Dada. Kari Skogland directs the pilot and several episodes, bringing experience from large-scale franchises like The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, where she worked with Mackie before.
When Does '12 12 12' Premiere on Apple TV?
12 12 12 premieres globally on Friday, November 13, 2026, with the first two episodes dropping together. New episodes arrive every Friday, with the eight-episode season concluding on Christmas Day, December 25. This release schedule makes the thriller a weekly fixture throughout the holiday season.
Apple TV has already teased the series with a first look, showcasing Mackie's FBI agent and Dornan's criminal as the elaborate operation takes shape. The footage reinforces the show's central concept: this isn't just about breaking into a vault—it's about everything that happens before the doors open and after they close.
With its ambitious three-timeline structure and a star-studded cast, 12 12 12 could be one of Apple's most intriguing crime dramas to close out 2026. The heist may be the hook, but the real experiment is stretching the story around it, giving the planning and aftermath nearly as much weight as the robbery itself. For fans of flawless psychological thrillers or Apple TV+ rewatch gems, this one is worth marking on your calendar.
