Apple TV+ has indefinitely postponed the release of its upcoming thriller series, The Savant, starring Jessica Chastain. The show, which deals with politically motivated violence in the U.S., was originally scheduled to premiere on September 26.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the streaming service said, “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.”
While Apple did not specify a reason for the delay, the decision follows recent high-profile acts of violence, including the killing of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk and the assassination of Minnesota Democratic politician Melissa Hortman.
The Savant features the Oscar-winning actress as an elite investigator who infiltrates online hate groups to prevent domestic terror attacks. The series is loosely inspired by a 2019 Cosmopolitan article about a real-life investigator who tracks extremists online. The show’s trailer highlights the intense subject matter, with Chastain’s character warning, “Snipers, bombings, ambushes, we’re on the verge of serious violence,” and noting that “innocent Americans are going to die.”
Chastain herself has commented on the show’s disturbing timeliness. “I hate that this show is relevant,” she told the Radio Times. “But maybe through this conversation and through unearthing this darkness in society, then we’re gonna work together to fix it.” In a separate interview with Emmy magazine, she called the show’s relevance “upsetting,” specifically referencing the recent killing in Minnesota.
An early review from the Irish Independent described The Savant as a “taut drama” and “a thriller depicting the ugliness of white supremacist extremism in the United States.”
