Yesterday, Apple TV+ made the surprising decision to postpone The Savant, an upcoming thriller starring Jessica Chastain as an undercover agent who infiltrates online hate groups in an attempt to thwart mass shootings and domestic terrorism attacks before they happen. Apple didn’t provide an explicit reason for the delayed release. In a statement to Deadline, the company simply wrote, “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.” Still, it’s not hard to extrapolate that the decision probably had something to do with the shooting of Charlie Kirk, especially considering the online circles both he and alleged shooter Tyler Robinson engaged with.
Jessica Chastain does not agree with Apple’s decision. In a statement posted on social media today, she wrote that while she “value[s her] partnership with Apple,” the two parties are “not aligned on the decision to pause the release of The Savant.” As she went on to elaborate, Kirk’s shooting was just the latest in a long line of attacks and violence this country has experienced over the five years they’ve been working on the show. That includes (but is unfortunately not limited to) the kidnapping attempt on Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, the attempted assassination of Donald Trump, the January 6th insurrection, the assassinations of Democratic representatives in Minnesota, and over 300 school shootings across the 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,” Chastain continued. “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.”
The Savant was inspired by Cosmopolitan‘s 2019 article “Is It Possible to Stop a Mass Shooting Before It Happens?,” which profiled an anonymous woman doing the work Chastain’s Savant character does in real life. The show was originally scheduled to premiere September 26, but Chastain remains “hopeful the show will reach audiences soon.”
You can read her statement in full 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.
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