Apple’s hopes of entering the film battleground to fight in the great streaming wars are on pause for now. The tech company pulled the release of its first original movie, The Banker, late Wednesday night, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Apple did not state any specific reasoning behind the decision to yank the movie, merely stating there were “concerns” surrounding the film. The Banker has recently garnered controversy over sexual abuse allegations against Bernard Garrett Jr, the real-life character’s son. The claims were made by Garrett Jr.’s half-sisters, Cynthia and Sheila Garrett, Deadline reports. As of now, the accusations are undisclosed, but according to the Reporter, Cynthia Garrett recently brought the claims to Apple’s attention. They allege the misconduct took place while Garrett Jr. was staying at their family home. Garrett Jr. co-produced The Banker, notes the Reporter, but he is no longer credited, according to the film’s IMDb page.
The movie is based on a true story about the first African-American bankers in the United States who used a white man (played by Nicholas Hoult) as the face of their business. It stars Marvel co-stars Samuel L. Jackson and Anthony Mackie. Jackson is playing Joe Morris and Mackie is playing Garrett Jr.’s father, Bernard Garrett.
The Banker was set to have its world premiere Thursday night in Hollywood at the American Film Institute Fest, and was even gathering Oscars buzz ahead of its sudden cancellation. The slot has now been filled with Noah Baumbach’s Marriage Story, per Deadline.
