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.”
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.
2020 Oscar Contenders, From Awkwafina to Renee Zellweger (Exclusive Photos)
Actress Awkwafina, "The Farewell"
Photographed by Matt Sayles for TheWrap
Hair: Marcus Francis
Styling: Erica Cloud
Makeup: Kirin Bhatty
Actor Antonio Banderas, "Pain and Glory"
Photographed by Irvin Rivera for TheWrap
Director Bong Joon Ho, "Parasite"
Photographed by Irvin Rivera for TheWrap
Actors Finn Wittrock, Renée Zellweger and director Rupert Goold, "Judy"
Photographed by Irvin Rivera for TheWrap
Director Sam Mendes, "1917"
Photographed by Steve Schofield for TheWrap
George MacKay, Sam Mendes, and Dean-Charles Chapman, "1917"
Photographed by Steve Schofield for TheWrap
Actor Aldis Hodge, "Clemency"
Photographed by Samantha Annis for TheWrap
Groomer: Amber Dreadon @ Greyscale Management using Dr. Barbara Strum Skincare and Jouer Cosmetics
Actress Cynthia Erivo, "Harriet"
Photographed by Irvin Rivera for TheWrap
Director Kasi Lemmons, "Harriet"
Photographed by Irvin Rivera for TheWrap
Actress Florence Pugh, "Little Women"
Photographed by Shayan Asgharnia for TheWrap
Actor Taron Egerton, "Rocketman"
Photographed by Irvin Rivera for TheWrap
Director Marielle Heller, "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood"
Photographed by Irvin Rivera for TheWrap
Actor Kelvin Harrison Jr., "Waves"
Photographed by Irvin Rivera for TheWrap
Writer, director and actor Taika Waititi, "Jojo Rabbit"
Photographed by Irvin Rivera for TheWrap
Actors Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein, "Booksmart"
Photographed by Marissa Mooney for TheWrap
Kaitlyn Dever Makeup: Coleen Campbell-Olwell for Exclusive Artists using Tarte Cosmetics
Actor Jonathan Pryce, "The Two Popes"
Photographed by Irvin Rivera for TheWrap
Actor Jonathan Majors, "The Last Black Man in San Francisco"
Photographed by Matt Sayles for TheWrap
Cinematographer Roger Deakins, "1917"
Photographed by Matt Sayles for TheWrap
Directors Josh and Ben Safdie with actor Adam Sandler, "Uncut Gems"
Photographed by Irvin Rivera for TheWrap
Actor Kevin Garnett, "Uncut Gems"
Photographed by Irvin Rivera for TheWrap
Actress Elisabeth Moss, "Her Smell"
Photographed by Elisabeth Caren for TheWrap
Actress Julia Butters, "Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood"
Photographed by Samantha Annis for TheWrap
Actor Noah Jupe, "Honey Boy" and "Ford v Ferrari"
Photographed by Irvin Rivera for TheWrap
Actor Christopher Plummer, "Knives Out"
Photographed by Irvin Rivera for TheWrap
Actress Jamie Lee Curtis, "Knives Out"
Photographed by Irvin Rivera for TheWrap
Actress Toni Collette, "Knives Out"
Photographed by Irvin Rivera for TheWrap
Actress Jessie Buckley, "Wild Rose"
Photographed by Elisabeth Caren for TheWrap
Actors Willem Dafoe, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and writer-director-actor Edward Norton, "Motherless Brooklyn"
Photographed by Irvin Rivera for TheWrap
Actress Lolo Spencer, "Give Me Liberty"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap
Directors Mati Diop and Antoneta Kastrati
Photographed by Elisabeth Caren for TheWrap
Director Mati Diop, "Atlantics"
Photographed by Elisabeth Caren for TheWrap
Hair: Courtney Housner for Exclusive Artists using SEVEN Haircare
Makeup: Olaf Derlig for Exclusive Artists using Koh Gen Do
Director Antoneta Kastrati, "Zana"
Photographed by Elisabeth Caren for TheWrap
Songwriter Diane Warren, "Breakthrough"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap
Director Alex Holmes and sailor Tracy Edwards, "Maiden"
Photographed by Irvin Rivera for TheWrap
Actor Stellan Skarsgård and director Hans Pettre Moland, "Out Stealing Horses"
Photographed by Irvin Rivera for TheWrap
Director Václav Marhoul, "The Painted Bird"
Photographed by Ash Thayer for TheWrap
Actress María Valverde and director Andrés Wood, "Spider"
Photographed by Marissa Mooney for TheWrap
Director Halina Reijn, "Instinct"
Photographed by Marissa Mooney for TheWrap
Actor Edward James Olmos, writer Robert Mailer Anderson and director Michael D. Olmos, "Windows on the World"
Photographed by Irvin Rivera for TheWrap
1 of 39
Antonio Banderas, Cynthia Erivo, Diane Warren and more are vying for Academy recognition this season
