Jessica Chastain expressed her disappointment with Apple’s decision to postpone the release of her upcoming limited series The Savant — about an undercover investigator who goes after online extremist groups — in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
AppleTV+ announced its decision to hold the show on Tuesday, Sept. 23, three days before its scheduled Sept. 26 premiere. A spokesperson said, “After careful consideration, we have made the decision to postpone The Savant. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to releasing the series at a future date” (via The Hollywood Reporter).
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In a statement shared on social media the following day, Chastain wrote, “I want to say how much I value my partnership with Apple. They’ve been incredible collaborators and I deeply respect their team. That said, I wanted to reach out and let you know that we’re not aligned on the decision to pause the release of The Savant.”
While AppleTV+ did not mention Kirk or cite any specific reasons behind its decision, it’s widely believed that it stemmed from concerns over the show’s content in relation to recent events. Based on descriptions of the series, there are no plot lines or characters that directly parallel Kirk or his death, but the show does contend with online extremism and political violence.
But as Chastain seemed to suggest in her statement, Kirk’s death isn’t necessarily an isolated act of political violence. “In the last five years since we’ve been making the show, we’ve seen an unfortunate amount of violence in the United States,” Chastain wrote, going on to mention everything from the attempted kidnapping of Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and January 6, to the Trump assassination attempt, as well as the assassinations of Kirk and two Democratic representatives in Minnesota.
“These incidents, though far from encompassing the full range of violence witnessed in the United States, illustrate a broader mindset that crosses the political spectrum and must be confronted,” Chastain wrote. “I’ve never shied away from difficult subjects, and while I wish this show wasn’t so relevant, unfortunately it is.”
She ended her statement by saying, “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.”
A new release date for The Savant hasn’t been shared yet. A page for the show on the streamer lists it as “Coming at a later date.”
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