Apple TV+ quietly pulls Jessica Chastain's new crime thriller ‘The Savant’ amid unexpected controversy

Ahead of its Friday, September 26 release, Apple TV+ surprisingly canceled 'The Savant'
UPDATED SEP 24, 2025
Jessica Chastain in a production still from 'The Savant' [Cover Image Source: Apple TV+ | Photo by Elizabeth Fisher]
Jessica Chastain in a production still from 'The Savant' [Cover Image Source: Apple TV+ | Photo by Elizabeth Fisher]

Apple TV+ is garnering major attention for halting the release of a TV show and the reason is quite astonishing. The crime thriller series was originally slated for a Friday, September 26 release, but it looks like fans have to wait longer. Inspired by the 2019 Cosmopolitan article, 'Is It Possible to Stop a Mass Shooting Before It Happens?' by Andrea Stanley, the miniseries recounts a true-life story. However, its release has been postponed indefinitely and the reason behind it is connected to Charlie Kirk's shooting.

The Savant — Official Trailer | Apple TV+

Apple TV
2.17M subscribers
A screenshot of Jessica Chastain  from 'The Savant' (Image Source: YouTube | @appletv+) 

The show in discussion is 'The Savant,' which stars Jessica Chastain and Nnamdi Asomugha in key roles. Reportedly, Apple TV+ has quietly pulled the series from its release schedule, with no word yet on a new debut date. The show follows investigator Jodi Goodwin (Jessica Chastain) as she infiltrates an online group of US extremists planning a deadly attack. According to the trailer, Goodwin specializes in tracking snipers, bombers, and others intending serious violence, though she is unsure of the exact nature of her current target's plan, only that he aims "to make a statement," as per The Verge.

In a statement to Deadline, the streamer 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." When asked for further details, Apple declined to comment. The Savant's postponement comes shortly after the Charlie Kirk shooting and Disney’s temporary pull of 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' following jokes about President Donald Trump's response, underscoring a sensitive climate around political violence.

According to Deadline, Apple TV+ has not explained the last-minute delay of 'The Savant,' but the show's focus on preventing extremist attacks and its violent imagery, such as a sniper in action and a government building bombing, is believed to be the reason, especially in light of the Wednesday, September 10 assassination of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.

GET THE BIGGEST ENTERTAINMENT STORIES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

Apple TV also released first-look images as Ted returns to Richmond for his biggest challenge yet
12 hours ago
Marvel is yet to decide on as it gears up for the release of a slew of major blockbusters
13 hours ago
From blink-and-miss-it cameos to comic nods and Hollywood jokes, ‘Wonder Man’ hides more secrets in plain sight than you might expect.
14 hours ago
The latest 'Fallout' episode, titled 'The Handoff', opens with a tense flashback of Steph and her mother being chased through a snow-covered forest
17 hours ago
Tiny dialogue clues and background details quietly reveal Wonder Man's spot on the MCU timeline, and the answer isn’t as obvious as it first seems
18 hours ago
While working on 'Wonder Man', Osorio suffered a fatal accident at Stage 3 of the Radford Studio Center in Studio City
19 hours ago
Ahead of the Season 3 premiere, big moves behind the scenes hint that Shrinking's future on Apple TV+ is far from finished
21 hours ago
Secrets explode as a wedding turns into a public reckoning, exposing hidden pasts, broken trust, and choices that could doom the Vault forever
22 hours ago
As fans eagerly await the return of 'Yellowjackets', here's a closer look at the Season 4 timeline and why Season 5 will not happen
22 hours ago
'Stranger Things' Season 5 came to an end on Netflix on December 31 with 'Rightside Up', but now we've another exciting chapter coming up.
1 day ago