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‘The Banker’ Release Delayed by Apple After Sexual Misconduct Accusations Against Co-Producer

Film starring Anthony Mackie and Samuel L. Jackson was slated to open Dec. 6

| November 22, 2019 @ 12:17 PM
The Banker Samuel L. Jackson Anthony Mackie

Apple

Apple has delayed the release of “The Banker” from its planned Dec. 6 release date, an individual with knowledge told TheWrap.

The delay comes after it was reported this week that a woman had accused one of the film’s co-producers, and the son of the fact-based film’s subjects, of sexual misconduct. The film was meant to be released on Dec. 6 in association with Bleecker Street before debuting on Apple TV+ in 2020.

Apple previously canceled the gala premiere of the movie as the closing night film of the AFI Film Festival and issued this statement about the cancellation:

“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,” an Apple representative told TheWrap in a statement. “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.”

Also Read: Apple Canceled 'The Banker' Premiere After Producer Accused of Sexual Assault by Sisters

On Wednesday, THR reported that Bernard Garrett Jr., the son of the man portrayed in the film by Anthony Mackie and who was originally listed as a co-producer on “The Banker,” was publicly accused of sexual assault by one of his half-sisters, Cynthia Garrett, in a Twitter post. Cynthia and Sheila Garrett then spoke to THR and said that the film misrepresented the timeline of real-life events, with their mother being left out of the story entirely.

“This entire project is poisoned. It’s the fruit of crime, lies and deception,” Cynthia Garrett told THR. Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Garrett’s accusations.

The drama starring Anthony Mackie and Samuel L. Jackson is based on the true story of two real estate investors and businessmen, Bernard Garrett (Mackie) and Joe Morris (Jackson), who managed to buy banks and homes in all-white neighborhoods and loan it back to black people looking to find their own American dream in a still segregated world that made that dream difficult. Nicholas Hoult co-stars in the film as the white man the duo hired to be their stand-in for business deals with white bankers.

George Nolfi directs the drama written by Niceole Levy, Nolfi, David Lewis Smith and Stan Younger from a story by David Lewis Smith, Stan Younger and Brad Caleb Kane.

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Photographed by Matt Sayles for TheWrap

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