Apple TV Announces New Premiere Date for Thriller ‘The Hunt’ Following Plagiarism Investigation of Source Material ‘Shoot’ by Gaumont
French-Language Series The Hunt to Debut on Apple TV After Delay
French-language drama series The Hunt (Traqués) is set to premiere on Apple TV on March 4, a postponement from its originally scheduled release date of December 3. The series, produced by Gaumont, faced delays following an investigation into allegations of plagiarism related to its source material.
In a recent statement, Gaumont detailed the timeline and findings of its review regarding the intellectual property associated with the series. Originally intended for a December 2025 debut, the release was pushed back after it was revealed in November that The Hunt was based on Douglas Fairbairn’s 1973 novel Shoot. Upon discovering this information, Gaumont acted promptly to identify the rights holders and secure the necessary permissions. The company emphasized its commitment to respecting authors’ rights and maintaining transparency within the creative community.
The controversy surrounding the series’ origin can be traced to its director, Cédric Anger, who was initially credited as the sole creator when The Hunt was marketed as an original work. Apple TV became aware of the similarities between The Hunt and Fairbairn’s narrative shortly before the planned premiere, leading to the notification of Gaumont and a halt to the series’ release.
The resemblance to the original work is now acknowledged, as The Hunt is officially credited as “a series by Anger based on the novel Shoot by Douglas Fairbairn.” This rebranding follows negotiations made by Gaumont with the rights holders of both the book and its previous film adaptation.
The Hunt follows Franck (Benoît Magimel) and his group of friends who enjoy weekend hunting trips. However, their routine takes a dark turn when they encounter another group of hunters targeting them without explanation. After a violent confrontation leaves one member injured, the group decides to keep the incident a secret. As Franck resumes daily life with his wife, Krystel (Mélanie Laurent), he begins to sense that he and his friends are being tracked by vengeful hunters.
The series also features actors Damien Bonnard, Manuel Guillot, Cédric Appietto, and Frédéric Maranber. The six-episode series, each episode lasting an hour, is executive produced by Sidone Dumas, Isabelle Degeorges, Clémentine Vaudaux, and Alexis Barqueiro. Anger directs five episodes, while Guillaume Renusson helms Episode 3. The first two episodes will launch globally on March 4, with subsequent episodes releasing weekly through April 1.
