Apple TV last week pulled the new thriller “The Hunt” from its schedule last week, mere days before it was due to premiere on December 3, with no explanation from Apple or the production team. Apparently, Apple pulled the new series due to plagiarism issues.
“The Hunt” apparently copies a Douglas Fairbairn novel from the ’70s, as well as a film based on the book.
According to French media expert Clement Garin, director, creator, and screenwriter Cédric Anger failed to mention that the series was actually an adaptation of a novel “Shoot” by Douglas Fairbairn, which was first published in 1973 and appears to be out of print. Shoot was translated in 1974 as “The Hunt.”
The series, which was filmed in France in 2024, reportedly closely follows the novel’s structure, as it involves a group of friends going hunting and being attacked by another group of hunters. While one of them is injured, they are able to escape, deciding to say nothing and going on with their lives. However, they continue to feel hunted and watched. The novel was made into a film in 1976, which was written by Richard Berg and directed by Harvey Hart.
While details of what happened behind the scenes are few, it seems the alleged plagiarism was discovered at the last minute, and that as a result of the discovery, Apple and production company Gaumont made moves to limit their exposure in any possible lawsuits.
Apple’s moves included removing all mention of the show’s existence from the Apple TV service and website, as well as deleting all press pages and trailers on several YouTube accounts. The actors and production crew involved in the making of the series have also been told not to discuss the series.
It is believed that both Apple and Gaumont are huddling with their lawyers over possibly suing for Anger’s alleged deceit. The duo could seek to recoup all of the costs of production in making the series, which these days can be a pretty penny.
It is possible that the series may someday see the light of day. The entire show has been filmed and edited and is ready for streaming. Apple could reach out to the Fairbairn estate and the original book’s publishers to make a deal for a legitimate release. While that would certainly involve added expense, at least there would be a change to recover some of the costs.
