Apple cancels the premiere of ‘The Banker‘ over alleged sexual assault.
Apple TV recently launched with several TV shows and movies. These productions have featured high-profile actors including Jason Momoa and Jennifer Aniston. The tech company also released a trailer for their Georgia-filmed movie, ‘The Banker’, which stars Samuel L. Jackson and Anthony Mackie. The movie was set to premiere on December 6th and debut at Thursday night’s AFI Festival in Los Angeles, California. However, Apple canceled the premiere and Netflix’s ‘Marriage Story’ is expected to replace the Jackson movie.
What happened to ‘The Banker’?
According to Deadline, Apple TV has set plans to suspend the film. The movie, which centers around two African-American investors who decide to give back to the community, has concerns tied to the family of Anthony Mackie’s character, Bernard Garrett. Apple TV+ released a statement saying, “We purchased The Banker earlier this year as we were moved by the film’s entertaining and educational story about social change and financial literacy. Last week some concerns surrounding the film were brought to our attention. We, along with the filmmakers, need some time to look into these matters and determine the best next steps. In light of this, we are no longer premiering The Banker at AFI Fest.”
The Hollywood Reporter reveals claims from two of Bernard’s half-sisters, Cynthia and Sheila Garrett, both 15 years younger than Bernard. The sisters claim they were sexually assaulted for years during their childhood. They claim that “the timeline of the film was tweaked in order to leave the girls and their mother out of the story.”
The Hollywood Reporter says Garrett Jr. previously appeared in promo materials as one of the movie’s co-producers and was expected to be featured ruding the movie’s press tour. However, he is now uncredited and all release plans are paused for the unforeseeable future as Apple TV+ continues to investigate the situation.
About ‘The Banker’:
Anthony Mackie and Samuel L. Jackson star in one of the first Apple TV+ original films ‘The Banker’, which filmed in Atlanta, Georgia.
The two A-list actors play real-life figures, Bernard Garrett and Joe Morris. The movie is based on a true story set in the 1960s, where the two men plan to build a real estate empire for African Americans to help the black community find the American Dream. However, to accomplish their goals, they must get the help of working-class white man Matt Steiner, played by Nicholas Hoult, to become the face of the organization. The two men teach Steiner how to socialize with rich white men and create deals they would not be privileged too because of their race.
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