Apple TV has pulled the upcoming French thriller The Hunt (Traqués) from its December release slate just one week before its highly anticipated premiere. The sudden removal is now reportedly linked to serious allegations of plagiarism against the show’s creator.
The Hunt pulled from Apple TV December slate amid plagiarism allegations
The cancellation stems from accusations that The Hunt closely mirrors the plot of the 1973 Douglas Fairbairn novel Shoot, which was previously adapted into a 1976 film of the same name. French media expert Clement Garin first surfaced the allegations, prompting an immediate response from the production company and the streamer (via Apple Insider).
French producer Gaumont confirmed on November 25 that the series has been put on hold while the company conducts a formal review. “The broadcast of our series ‘The Hunt’ has been temporarily postponed. We are currently conducting a thorough review to address any questions related to our production. We take intellectual property matters very seriously,” Gaumont told Variety.
The series logline describes a group of longtime friends who go hunting one weekend, only to be attacked by another group of hunters. After one of their own is shot, the friends retaliate and escape, choosing to keep the violent encounter a secret. In the days that follow, protagonist Franck (Magimel) becomes convinced that he and his friends are being stalked by the rival hunters seeking revenge.
Goodreads’ description of Shoot outlines a strikingly similar premise. The novel follows Rex and his group of friends as they encounter hostile hunters during a wilderness trip, resulting in a fatal exchange of gunfire. After returning home, Rex grows increasingly paranoid that the rival group will retaliate, prompting him to prepare for another confrontation.
Those parallels have fueled speculation that The Hunt is plagiarized. While the show is reportedly fully filmed and ready for release, for now, The Hunt remains shelved, wiped from Apple TV’s December slate as the plagiarism investigation continues.
