The release of the French thriller “The Hunt” on Apple TV has been put on hold following allegations of plagiarism related to a novel and film from the 1970s.
WASHINGTON — In a surprising move, Apple TV has removed a show from its platform and erased its online presence just days before its scheduled debut, amidst claims of plagiarism. This decision concerns the French-language series “Traqués,” known as “The Hunt” in English, which was initially set to premiere worldwide on December 3 and run until December 31.
The first hint of trouble came from French journalist Clément Garin, who reported that the mini-series had been pulled due to its alleged resemblance to the 1976 film adaptation of Douglas Fairbairn’s 1973 novel “Shoot.” The film was helmed by director Harvey Hart and penned by writer Richard Berg.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Apple TV has not only taken down the series but also removed all related press materials, trailers, and online content.
Gaumont, the French company behind the production, told Entertainment Weekly, “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.” The company emphasized their commitment to resolving these issues.
“The broadcast of our series ‘The Hunt’ has been temporarily postponed,” French production company Gaumont told Entertainment Weekly. “We are currently conducting a thorough review to address any questions related to our production. We take intellectual property matters very seriously.”
The mini-series show, which was set to be six episodes, follows main character Franck played by Benoît Megimel and his friends who go hunting on the weekends together.
“One day, they encounter another hunting group who targets them. In self-defense, Franck’s group injures one of the attackers. Paranoia sets in as they feel hunted by now vengeful enemies,” the IMDb summary reads.
IMDb lists Megimel, Mélanie Laurent, Gratianne Lagauzère, Damien Bonnard, Manuel Guillot, Cédric Appietto, Angelyna Danabe-Mignot, Paul Beaurepaire, Yann Goven, Sarah Pachoud and Patrick De Vallette in the cast.
It’s unclear who raised the allegations or if the show will be released at a future date.
The show, if released, would be Apple TV’s fourth original French-language show, according to Deadline.
