Apple TV recently announced the removal of its series The Hunt from its streaming lineup, following allegations of plagiarism. French media journalist Clément Garin claimed that the storyline of The Hunt closely resembles Shoot, a novel published in 1974 by Douglas Fairbairn. The series was initially scheduled to premiere on December 3rd.
Gaumont, the production company responsible for The Hunt, confirmed the series’ removal from Apple’s schedule, stating, “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.”
The French thriller The Hunt depicts Franck and a group of friends who encounter an antagonistic group of hunters during a hunting trip. According to Variety, the story involves tension between Franck’s group and the rival hunters, leading to violence and a feeling of being watched in the aftermath of the encounter.
In contrast, Fairbairn’s Shoot, which was adapted into a film in 1976, features a character named Rex who faces a similar scenario while hunting in Canada. After an incident with rival hunters results in the death of one of Rex’s friends, he begins to fear for his life and that of his companions, believing they may be targeted in retaliation.
In a related context, Apple TV had also postponed the debut of another series, The Savant, which centers on an investigator aiming to infiltrate online hate groups to prevent domestic terrorism. Requests for comment from both Apple and Gaumont have not been answered at this time.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/831227/apple-tv-the-hunt-plagiarism