Apple TV has recently made the decision to pull the upcoming French thriller series “The Hunt” (“Traqués”) from its December lineup, and the reason behind this move has now come to light. It has been revealed that the creator and director of the show, Cédric Anger, has been accused of plagiarizing the story of the series from the 1973 novel “Shoot” by Douglas Fairbairn, which was previously adapted into a film in 1976.
The allegations against Anger were first brought to light by French media expert Clement Garin, and following these accusations, French producer Gaumont has confirmed that “The Hunt” has been put on hold while they conduct a thorough investigation into the matter. As a result, Apple TV has removed all promotional materials for the show from its site as the production remains in limbo.
In a statement shared with Variety, Gaumont stated, “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.” Originally scheduled to premiere globally on Apple TV on December 3rd, with subsequent episodes to follow weekly, the show was removed from the lineup last week.
“The Hunt” is a French-language thriller created by Anger, known for his work on “Next Time I’ll Aim for the Heart,” and executive produced by Isabelle Degeorges, Clémentine Vaudaux, Alexis Barqueiro, and Sidonie Dumas for Gaumont, the production company behind hits like “Lupin” and “Becoming Karl Lagerfeld.” The series stars Benoît Magimel and Mélanie Laurent in leading roles, with a supporting cast including Damien Bonnard, Manuel Guillot, and Cédric Appietto, among others.
The logline for “The Hunt” describes a group of friends who find themselves targeted by unknown assailants while on a hunting trip, leading to a dangerous game of cat and mouse. This premise bears striking similarities to the plot of “Shoot,” as described in the novel by Fairbairn. In “Shoot,” a group of hunters faces off against a rival party in the Canadian wilderness, resulting in a deadly confrontation and a tense standoff.
Fairbairn, the author of “Shoot,” passed away in 1997, and the 1976 film adaptation of his novel was directed by Harvey Hart and featured a cast including Cliff Robertson and Ernest Borgnine. The parallels between “The Hunt” and “Shoot” have raised concerns about potential plagiarism in the creation of the series, prompting the investigation by Gaumont and the subsequent removal of the show from Apple TV’s schedule.
As the situation unfolds, fans of the thriller genre will have to wait and see how the allegations against Cédric Anger and the similarities between “The Hunt” and “Shoot” are addressed. Stay tuned for updates on the future of this controversial series and the outcome of Gaumont’s investigation into the matter.
