Jessica Chastain Disagrees With Apple's Decision To Postpone The Savant Amid Charged Political Climate — Read Statement
Apple TV+ is hitting pause on The Savant.
The streamer announced that it will postpone the premiere of the eight-episode cyber thriller starring Jessica Chastain, which was set to begin on Friday, Sept. 26.
"After careful consideration, we have made the decision to postpone The Savant," an Apple TV+ spokesperson said in a statement to TVLine. "We appreciate your understanding and look forward to releasing the series at a future date."
Apple did not explicitly share the reasons behind the scheduling change.
On Wednesday, Chastain took to Instagram to share her thoughts on the show's postponement, starting with some positive words about her collaboration with the streamer.
"I want to say how much I value my partnership with Apple. They've been incredible collaborators and I deeply respect their team," she wrote. "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.
"In the last five years since we've been making the show, we've seen an unfortunate amount of violence in the United States: the kidnapping attempt on Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer; the January 6th attack on the Capitol; the assassination attempts on President Trump; the political assassinations of Democratic representatives in Minnesota; the attack on Speaker Pelosi's husband; the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk; the recent shooting at an ABC affiliate station in California; and over 300 school shootings across this country," she continued. "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. I've never shied away from difficult subjects, and while I wish this show wasn't so relevant, unfortunately it is. 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."
Per the official description, the series follows an undercover investigator (Chastain) as she "infiltrates online hate groups in an effort to stop domestic extremists before they act." It's conceivable that the streamer does not want to air the drama so soon after the recent assassination of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.
The cast also includes Nnamdi Asomugha (Sylvie's Love), Cole Doman (Gossip Girl), Jordana Spiro (Ozark), Trinity Lee Shirley, Toussaint Francois Battiste, and guest star Pablo Schreiber (Orange Is the New Black).
Apple TV+ has not yet announced Savant's new premiere date.