Apple has announced a release date for a film it temporarily shelved following allegations of sexual misconduct against one of its producers.
The tech giant said The Banker, which stars Samuel L Jackson, Anthony Mackie and Nicholas Hoult, will arrive in cinemas in March before hitting its Apple TV+ streaming service later that month.
It had been set to arrive in December but Apple abruptly cancelled the film’s premiere at the AFI Fest in Los Angeles, citing “concerns surrounding” the project.
It was later reported two women had accused Bernard Garrett Jr, who is a co-producer on the film, of molesting them when they were girls.
After announcing The Banker’s new release date, Apple said in a statement to Variety: “We wanted to take the time to understand the situation at hand and, after reviewing the information available to us including documentation of the filmmakers’ research, we’ve decided to make this important and enlightening film available to viewers.”
The film is based on the life of Mr Garrett’s father, Bernard, who recruited a white man to front a property and banking business in the 1950s and 1960s.
Bernard Garrett, who is played by Mackie in the film, was convicted of misusing bank funds in 1968.
The Banker, which also stars Nia Long, Jessie Usher and Colm Meaney, will receive a limited theatrical release in the US on March 6 and will arrive on Apple TV+ on March 20.