Apple TV+ has postponed the release of its show “The Savant,” starring Jessica Chastain as an undercover investigator who infiltrates online hate groups to stop mass shootings. The show was set to begin streaming its first two episodes on Friday.
Apple did not give a reason for its postponement, which it announced on Tuesday, saying in a brief statement only that the decision was made after “careful consideration.” It did not announce a new release date.
Two people with knowledge of the discussions said that the company was reluctant to release the show in the current political climate, after the assassination of Charlie Kirk this month.
Ms. Chastain, who is also an executive producer on the show, took to social media on Wednesday morning to push back against the decision.
“We are not aligned on the decision to pause the release of The Savant,” she wrote on Instagram.
The actress then listed a number of violent acts that have occurred in the United States since they started making the show five years ago, including the attempted kidnapping of Michigan’s governor, Gretchen Whitmer; the assassination attempts on President Trump; the Jan. 6 riots; over 300 school shootings across the country; and the assassination of Mr. Kirk.
“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,” she 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 based on the Cosmopolitan article “Is It Possible to Stop a Mass Shooting Before It Happens” by Andrea Stanley. Written in 2019, the feature follows an unnamed investigator known as the Savant whose job revolves around identifying violent extremists before they commit heinous crimes.
“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,” Ms. Chastain said in her statement.
The show, created by Melissa James Gibson (“House of Cards”) was supposed to debut on Sept. 12. But Apple pushed back the release date so that it would not be so close to Sept. 11, according to the two people with knowledge of discussions about the show.
Ms. Chastain, who plays the lead character in the series, has been doing publicity for the show for weeks. On Sept. 16, five days after the assassination of Mr. Kirk, she appeared on both “The Drew Barrymore Show” and on “Late Night With Seth Meyers,” where Mr. Meyers called the work of her character “prescient today but has been for awhile.”
Nicole Sperling covers Hollywood and the streaming industry. She has been a reporter for more than two decades.
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