Apple TV+ star Jessica Chastain is ‘not aligned’ with Apple on canceled release

4 hours ago 2

Yesterday in a last-minute move, Apple decided to cancel its planned release of new Apple TV+ series The Savant. Now, the show’s star Jessica Chastain has released a statement disagreeing with the decision.

The Savant is no longer on Apple TV+ release schedule

The Savant was supposed to premiere this Friday, September 26 on Apple TV+.

But as we reported yesterday, the limited-series has now officially been taken off Apple’s release schedule.

Apple’s explanation to Deadline was brief:

“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.”

The series is believed to have been delayed due to subject matter that might feel all too familiar and sensitive in light of current US events following Charlie Kirk’s assassination. Apple’s official series summary reads:

The tense and thrilling series follows an undercover investigator known as “The Savant” (Chastain) as she infiltrates online hate groups in an effort to stop domestic extremists before they act.

Star Jessica Chastain today released a statement disagreeing with Apple’s decision to cancel the planned release.

She emphasizes valuing her Apple partnership and deeply respecting their team, but says, “we’re not aligned on the decision to pause the release of The Savant.”

Chastain highlights the show’s relevance following several recent acts of violence in the US, and concludes: “While I respect Apple’s decision to pause the release for now, I remain hopeful the show will reach audiences soon.”

You can read the full statement below:

“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. 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. 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.”

Do you plan to watch The Savant when it does premiere on Apple TV+? Let us know in the comments.

Apple TV+ is available for $12.99 per month and features hit TV shows and movies like Ted Lasso, Severance, The Morning Show, Silo, and Shrinking.