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Apple TV has halted the release of “The Hunt,” a French thriller, following accusations of plagiarism that connect the series to a novel and film from the 1970s.
WASHINGTON — Just days before its planned debut, a French thriller was pulled from Apple TV amid allegations of plagiarism. The platform removed all traces of the show, which was originally set to premiere worldwide from December 3 to December 31, according to reports.
Originally titled “Traqués” in French and known as “The Hunt” in English, the series is at the center of these allegations. French journalist Clément Garin was the first to highlight the controversy, pointing out that the storyline bears a striking resemblance to the 1976 film adaptation of Douglas Fairbairn’s 1973 novel “Shoot.” The film was directed by Harvey Hart with the screenplay by Richard Berg.
In response to the claims, Apple TV has removed all promotional material for the series from the internet, including press releases and trailers. This development was reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
Apple TV removed press releases, trailers and other posts about the series on platforms across the internet, according to The Hollywood Reporter
“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.
