Jessica Chastain Savant postponed amidst political climate
Jessica Chastain stated on Wednesday that she is “not aligned” with Apple’s decision to postpone her series The Savant. The series was originally scheduled to premiere on September 26, but no new release date has been announced.
Apple revealed on Tuesday that it was pulling The Savant, explaining to Deadline that the decision came after “careful consideration.” The company expressed that it “look[s] forward to releasing the series at a future date.”
While Apple did not provide a specific reason for delaying The Savant's release, the decision follows the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and growing scrutiny from government officials and the public regarding media responses to the incident. Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show was pulled from affiliate stations and suspended by ABC after he made comments about the conservative reaction to Kirk’s death; the show has since resumed.
According to two individuals familiar with the discussions at Apple, the New York Times reported on Wednesday that the streaming service was hesitant to release the series in the wake of Kirk’s killing, considering the current political climate.
The Savant stars Jessica Chastain as a woman committed to stopping acts of terrorism in the United States by infiltrating online extremist communities. In the trailer released in August, her character, Jodi, attempts to uncover a group of extremists plotting a major attack while also trying to protect her family. “Snipers, bombing, ambushes … we’re on the verge of serious violence,” Jodi asserts in the trailer. Later, she cautions another character about an individual who is not just looking to "plan violence" but intends to "make a statement"—the "kind that history refers to with a month and a date."
The series, for which Chastain serves as an executive producer, draws inspiration from the 2019 Cosmopolitan article titled “Is It Possible to Stop a Mass Shooting Before It Happens?” This article reviews the work of an elite, anonymous investigator referred to only as “the Savant.” Due to privacy concerns, the Cosmo article keeps the Savant's identity hidden, but the TV series reimagines her as a suburban mother.
In an Instagram story posted on Wednesday, Chastain expressed her appreciation for her “incredible collaborators” at Apple but stated that she disagreed with the decision to postpone The Savant. She pointed out that the United States has experienced “an unfortunate amount of violence” over the past five years. Chastain listed several attacks on political figures, including “the kidnapping attempt on Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer,” “the assassination attempts on President Trump,” and “the political assassinations of Democratic representatives in Minnesota,” as well as “the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk” and “the recent shooting at an ABC affiliate station in California.” Additionally, she highlighted the alarming statistic of “300 school shootings across this country.”
In her Instagram post, Chastain stated that these incidents “illustrate a broader mindset that transcends the political spectrum and requires confrontation.”
“I’ve never shied away from difficult subjects, and while I wish this show wasn’t so relevant, unfortunately it is,” she continued. “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.”
Chastain expressed her respect for the decision to pause the release, stating, “I remain hopeful the show will reach audiences soon.” Until then, she concluded, “I’m wishing safety and strength for everyone, and I’ll let you know if and when The Savant is released.”