Apple cancels theatrical premiere of its Oscar hopeful, The Banker

The trailer for The Banker

Most of the hype around this month's Apple TV+ launch centered on the TV portion-the Jennifer Anniston-led Morning Show, the Thrones-y future dystopian series See, the alternative history of the space race in For All Mankind. Like its streaming competitors in the tech sector, however, Apple also plans to release and produce original movies for the new service. But now, one of the service's first high-profile film projects is abruptly being held ahead of its previously scheduled December 6 theatrical release.

The Banker, a period piece starring Anthony Mackie and Samuel L. Jackson, will no longer hit theaters next month ahead of a planned January streaming release. As reported in The Hollywood Reporter, that's because sisters Cynthia and Sheila Garrett allege they were sexually assaulted in the 1970s for nearly a decade by one of the film's co-producers-Bernard Garrett Jr., their half-brother and son of one of the men portrayed in the film.

"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," Apple said in a statement.

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