Bad Apples (2026): Cast, Story and Release Details

Prepared by Movies Dock Editorial

Bad Apples follows Maria, a struggling primary school teacher who starts making questionable decisions after one of her students is injured. Directed by Jonatan Etzler and written by Jess O’Kane, this English-language comedy thriller stars Saoirse Ronan alongside Jacob Anderson and Sean Gilder.

Bad Apples is a 2026 comedy thriller centered on Maria, a struggling primary school teacher facing a difficult situation after one of her students is injured. The incident prompts her to make choices that become increasingly questionable.

Directed by Jonatan Etzler and written by Jess O’Kane, the film has a reported runtime of 1 hour and 40 minutes. Saoirse Ronan leads the cast as Maria, with Jacob Anderson, Sean Gilder and Robert Emms among the supporting performers.

Bad Apples movie details

Story without spoilers

Maria is a primary school teacher struggling with circumstances that take a troubling turn when one of her students is injured. In the aftermath, she begins making decisions that challenge the boundaries of her role and set the story on a tense, morally uncertain path.

The supplied premise keeps the details of the injury and Maria’s subsequent choices limited, so the film’s central tension rests on how she responds to the situation rather than on a fully revealed plot. Its comedy and thriller classification suggests a blend of uneasy situations and suspense, while the source material is identified as being based on a novel or book.

What to expect

Bad Apples combines comedy with thriller elements, placing a teacher at the center of a situation shaped by difficult decisions. The premise points to a story driven by consequences and moral uncertainty rather than a conventional school drama.

The film is in English and has a 1-hour-40-minute runtime. Beyond its genre labels and central setup, the supplied information does not specify the precise tone, setting, plot developments or ending, so those details are best left for the film itself.

Cast and creative team

Saoirse Ronan plays Maria, the struggling primary school teacher at the center of the story. Jacob Anderson plays Sam, Sean Gilder appears as Frank and Robert Emms plays Josh. The cast also includes Rakie Ayola as Sylvia, Kerry Howard as PC Williams, Jaye Jacobs as Khaliya’s Mum, Joanna van Kampen as Carys’s Mum, Kirris Riviere as Jamal’s Dad and Dorian Simpson as Zayn’s Dad.

Jonatan Etzler directs Bad Apples, with Jess O’Kane credited as writer.

• Saoirse Ronan as Maria
• Jacob Anderson as Sam
• Sean Gilder as Frank
• Robert Emms as Josh
• Rakie Ayola as Sylvia
• Kerry Howard as PC Williams
• Jaye Jacobs as Khaliya's Mum
• Joanna van Kampen as Carys's Mum
• Kirris Riviere as Jamal's Dad
• Dorian Simpson as Zayn's Dad

Release and production context

Bad Apples is listed as a 2026 release, with a release date of September 10, 2026. It is marked as Released and has a runtime of 1 hour and 40 minutes. The film is associated with the United Kingdom and the United States of America, and its spoken language is English.

Production companies listed for the film are Pulse Films, Vice Studios and Good Oranges Films. The movie is also identified as being based on a novel or book.

Production companies: Pulse Films, Vice Studios, Good Oranges Films

Bad Apples official trailer

Watch the official trailer on YouTube

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With its combination of a primary-school setting, an injured student and a teacher pushed toward questionable decisions, Bad Apples builds its premise around pressure and consequence. The concise setup leaves room for the comedy and thriller elements to develop without revealing the film’s later turns.

Film data:
TMDB · IMDb