Apple TV+ has postponed the release of 'The Savant', a thriller series starring Jessica Chastain, originally scheduled for 26 September. The decision was announced by a spokesperson who cited 'careful consideration' and stated the series would be released at a future date.
The show follows Chastain's character infiltrating online hate groups to prevent violence in the US, loosely based on a 2019 Cosmopolitan article about an investigator tracking angry men online. The trailer includes warnings of 'snipers, bombings, ambushes' and a threat of 'a coordinated mass attack'.
While Apple did not elaborate, the postponement follows recent violent incidents, including the killing of right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University. Prosecutors charged 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, with text messages suggesting the act aimed to stop Kirk's 'hatred'.
Chastain expressed disagreement with the delay in an Instagram statement, noting 'an unfortunate amount of violence' during the show's production, such as Kirk's killing, the kidnapping attempt on Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, and the January 6 riot. She stated, 'I’ve never shied away from difficult subjects, and while I wish this show wasn’t so relevant, unfortunately it is.'
The series, directed by Emmy winner and produced by Chastain, also references 893 extremist attacks in America between 1994 and 2020. Chastain called its timeliness 'upsetting' in an interview, pointing to the murder of Democratic politician Melissa Hortman in Minnesota.
