Apple TV+ has released a handful of new titles since its launch in November 2019, but now they may have lost a project headed up by cultural icon Oprah.
Recently, Apple indefinitely delayed the theater release of The Banker, and now the documentary produced by Oprah has been pulled by the talk show host over ‘creative differences’.
The documentary chronicles Drew Dixon, a music industry executive who is also one of the women who accused Russell Simmons of rape and told her story in an interview with The New York Times.
In a statement written to film industry publications such as Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter, Oprah said: ‘I have decided that I will no longer be executive producer on The Untitled Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering documentary and it will not air on Apple TV+.
‘First and foremost, I want it to be known that I unequivocally believe and support the women. Their stories deserve to be told and heard.
‘In my opinion, there is more work to be done on the film to illuminate the full scope of what the victims endured and it has become clear that the filmmakers and I are not aligned in that creative vision.
‘Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering are talented filmmakers. I have great respect for their mission but given the filmmakers’ desire to premiere the film at the Sundance Film Festival before I believe it is complete, I feel it’s best to step aside.
‘I will be working with Time’s Up to support the victims and those impacted by abuse and sexual harassment.’
The film may well still appear at Sundance, which begins on January 24.
