Apple TV Pulls 'The Hunt' Show Over Plagiarism Claims

Apple TV has pulled its upcoming French thriller series "The Hunt" just days before its scheduled December 3 debut, after allegations emerged that the show plagiarized a 1973 novel and its film adaptation.

the hunt apple tv show
Production company Gaumont confirmed the postponement in a statement, saying it is "conducting a thorough review to address any questions related to our production." The company added that it takes "intellectual property matters very seriously."

Creator and director Cédric Anger is accused of copying the plot from late author Douglas Fairbairn's novel "Shoot" and the 1976 film of the same name. French media journalist Clément Garin was first to make the allegations, according to Variety.

The similarities between the two stories look fairly substantial. Both narratives follow a group of hunters who encounter rival hunters in the wilderness, leading to violent consequences. In each story, one hunter is shot and the attacker is killed in retaliation. The survivors then return home while keeping the incident secret, but they soon grow paranoid about the potential for revenge.

"The Hunt" was set to premiere with two episodes on December 3, followed by weekly releases through December 31, but Apple has since removed all promotional materials for the series from its website. Apple has yet to comment on the controversy.

It's the second time this year Apple TV has pulled a completed series at the last minute. Jessica Chastain's "The Savant" was postponed days before its September premiere and still has no release date.

Popular Stories

maxresdefault

Apple Shows Off a Key Reason to Upgrade to the iPhone 17

Saturday February 7, 2026 9:26 am PST by
Apple today shared an ad that shows how the upgraded Center Stage front camera on the latest iPhones improves the process of taking a group selfie. "Watch how the new front facing camera on iPhone 17 Pro takes group selfies that automatically expand and rotate as more people come into frame," says Apple. While the ad is focused on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, the regular iPhone...
Finder Siri Feature

Why Apple's iOS 26.4 Siri Upgrade Will Be Bigger Than Originally Promised

Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do. The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up. Upgraded Architecture The next-generation...
wwdc sans text feature

Apple Rumored to Announce New Product on February 19

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld. The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld. Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says These 7 U.S. States Plan to Offer iPhone Driver's Licenses

Monday February 9, 2026 6:24 am PST by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and then use it to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. The feature is currently available in 13 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, and it is expected to launch in at least seven more in the future. To set up the...
14 inch MacBook Pro Keyboard

New MacBook Pros Could Now Arrive in March

Sunday February 8, 2026 6:02 am PST by
New MacBook Pro models with the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips could arrive as soon as Monday, March 2, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In today's "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that the release of new MacBook Pro models is tied to the release of macOS Tahoe 26.3. The launch is said to be slated for as early as the week of March 2. He added that the M4 Pro and M4 Max models on sale today...

Top Rated Comments

surfzen21 Avatar
11 weeks ago
Just ask Apple Intelligence if it was plagiarized.

That should get to the bottom of this definitively.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CharlesShaw Avatar
11 weeks ago

Do we really need yet another Netflix-style slop engine?
I'm thankful for much of the excellent television that Apple has spent some of its money on. While not everyone is going to be happy with every show, Apple can afford to takes risks on projects that otherwise might not get the budget they deserve to "go all out." Think Severance.

Edit to add: I'm thankful for some of the original content that Netflix funds as well.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tedwill Avatar
11 weeks ago
At least Apple pulled it. Many Netflix shows have been accused of plagiarism, including Stranger Things and Squid games. Netflix just loves to feed their algorithm and take the money. Apple at least has integrity.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
orbital~debris Avatar
11 weeks ago

Why was The Savant pulled? Also alleged plagiarism?

Do these Hunt actors still get paid if plagiarism is confirmed?

Who spotted the similarities?
The Savant was pulled seemingly due to storyline similarities with current events around the time it was due to premiere on tv.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
benface Avatar
11 weeks ago

Do these Hunt actors still get paid if plagiarism is confirmed?
Pretty sure the cast and crew got paid already.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mr_Ed Avatar
11 weeks ago

Why wasn’t this checked before Apple bought/made the show?
I’m not a fan of Apple TV (or pretty much any other Apple service for that matter) but to be fair, it has been difficult to check for plagiarism with absolute certainty. Any author who spots similarities between something getting media attention (like a movie or show) and something they created may claim plagiarism is at play, and at the time, may genuinely feel that is the case.


At least Apple pulled it. Many Netflix shows have been accused of plagiarism, including Stranger Things and Squid games. Netflix just loves to feed their algorithm and take the money. Apple at least has integrity.
Stranger Things is a perfect example. The author who initiated the lawsuit re: Stranger Things later voluntarily dropped the lawsuit, saying additional evidence collected for the case convinced him Stranger Things indeed did not plagiarize his work.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)