Jessica Chastain-led series The Savant has been pulled from the Apple TV+ release schedule.
The thriller was set to begin on 26 September but its release has been postponed.
“After careful consideration, we have made the decision to postpone The Savant,” a spokesperson said in a statement. “We appreciate your understanding and look forward to releasing the series at a future date.”
The show follows Chastain’s character infiltrating online hate groups in order to stop violence being committed in the US. It was loosely inspired by a 2019 Cosompolitan article that describes an investigator known as the Savant as “an elite investigator who tracks angry men online”.
In the trailer, her character warns: “Snipers, bombings, ambushes, we’re on the verge of serious violence.” She adds: “This guy isn’t just planning violence, he’s out to make a statement … innocent Americans are going to die”.
While Apple did not elaborate on the decision, it comes soon after the killing of rightwing commentator Charlie Kirk at at Utah Valley University. Prosecutors have charged 22-year-old Tyler Robinson with the crime with text messages appearing to show the act was motivated by wanting to stop Kirk’s “hatred”.
Chastain released a statement on Instagram in response, detailing “an unfortunate amount of violence” that has taken place during the making of the show, using examples such as Kirk’s killing, the kidnapping attempt on Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer and the January 6 riot.
The actor explains that while she respects Apple, she is “not aligned” with the decision to postpone. “I’ve never shied away from difficult subjects, and while I wish this show wasn’t so relevant, unfortunately it is,” she writes. “The Savant is about the heroes who work every day to stop violence before it happens, and honoring their courage feels more urgent than ever. While I respect Apple’s decision to pause the release for now, I remain hopeful the show will reach audiences soon. Until then, I’m wishing safety and strength for everyone, and I’ll let you know if and when The Savant is released.”
While reviews are embargoed, the Irish Independent’s Pat Stacey called The Savant “a thriller depicting the ugliness of white supremacist extremism in the United States”. The trailer also features threats of “a coordinated mass attack” and words on-screen mention that between 1994 and 2020, there were 893 extremist attacks in America.
The Oscar-winning actor, who was named best actress for her role in The Eyes of Tammy Faye, called its timeliness “upsetting” in an interview with Emmy magazine before referring to “what just happened in Minnesota”, signalling toward the killing of Melissa Hortman. The Democratic politician was murdered in June in what appeared to be a politically motivated assassination.
