Apple TV+ has quietly pulled the upcoming French thriller The Hunt from its streaming release schedule amid allegations that the series bears a striking resemblance to Shoot, a 1974 novel by American author Douglas Fairbairn. The move, which was first reported by Apple Insider, has sparked an industrywide debate about originality and intellectual property rights in light of increased scrutiny on global streaming content.
The series was scheduled to launch on December 3, but eagle-eyed viewers observed last week that the title had vanished altogether from the upcoming releases list on Apple TV+. Production company Gaumont has now confirmed the delay in a statement to Variety:
“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.”
Plot Parallels Raise Red Flags
The plagiarism concerns emerged after French media journalist Clément Garin openly stated that the plot of The Hunt has striking similarities with Fairbairn’s Shoot, itself adapted into a feature film in 1976.
In The Hunt, the story revolves around Franck — played by Benoît Magimel — and a close-knit group of friends who enjoy weekend hunting trips. Their routine outing turns sinister when they encounter another group of hunters who inexplicably open fire on them. After one of Franck’s friends is injured, the group retaliates, wounding an attacker. The men flee and decide to keep the incident secret. But as days pass, Franck becomes convinced that he and his friends are being stalked — hunted in return — by the rival group determined to exact revenge.
An official logline describes a tense psychological spiral in which Franck tries to resume normal life with his wife, Krystel (played by Audrey Laurent), only to feel increasingly surveilled and unsafe.
A Strikingly Similar Story in Shoot
Fairbairn’s Shoot follows a thoroughly similar trajectory of events. The protagonist of the novel, Rex, is introduced as a gruff, hyper-masculine hunter. While on a trip in Canada, Rex and his friends are attacked by fellow hunters. One friend fires back, killing one of the aggressors.
Rather than report the killings to the police, Rex assumes that neither would the opposing group report the lethal encounter. But paranoia takes hold as he’s convinced the surviving hunters will want revenge.
That uncanny overlap in plot structure – two groups of hunters, an exchange of gunfire, a death, and a lingering fear of revenge – fueled the accusations that ultimately prompted Apple TV+ to halt the release.
A History of Content Review at Apple TV+
This is not the first time that Apple TV+ has delayed a series amidst concerns or external scrutiny. In September, it delayed The Savant, a thriller starring Jessica Chastain as an undercover investigator tracking online hate groups planning domestic terror attacks. There wasn’t any explanation by Apple over whether the issues were creative, legal, or production-related.
The streamer has made its name by carefully curating quality, highly-vetted content and often choosing delays over controversy. This latest pause would seem to indicate Apple is continuing that cautious approach.
Thus far, neither Apple nor Gaumont has issued further information about the investigation or whether The Hunt will be put back onto the release schedule. Neither company responded to a request for comment.
The entertainment industry has continued to grapple with intellectual property challenges, especially as international productions reach a global audience on wider levels thanks to streaming platforms. Cases like The Hunt highlight the delicate balance between creative inspiration and possible infringement-and the growing pressure on studios to ensure their stories don’t cross legal or ethical lines. The Hunt has remained off Apple’s platform pending review and its future remains uncertain.
