Last week, eagle-eyed viewers noticed that French series The Hunt, also titled Traqués, was no longer on the schedule to be released on Apple TV, having originally been set to premiere on 3rd December 2025.
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It was then noticed that all promotional materials for the thriller had been removed, including the trailer for the series, although why this had happened was then uncertain.
Now, production company Gaumont, from whom Apple TV acquired the series, has put out a statement to explain the decision to delay the series.
The statement says: "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."
Mélanie Laurent in The Hunt. Apple TV
Deadline has reported that questions were raised over the series being presented as an original work from creator Cédric Anger, in light of apparent plot similarities to 1973 novel Shoot by US author Douglas Fairbairn (which was also adapted into a 1976 film).
Sources told the publication that Shoot had not been brought up as possible source material and was not on Gaumont or Apple TV’s radar until recently.
Deadline also reports information about the issue started circulating this week after it was raised by French journalist Clément Garin, noting that any conversations over Shoot would involve his estate, as Fairbairn died in 1997.
The synopsis for The Hunt says: "Franck (Benoît Magimel) and his long-time friends enjoy spending their weekends hunting together, but one Sunday, they come across another group of hunters who start targeting them without explanation. When one of their party is shot, Franck’s friends strike back, sending an attacker to the ground.
"Barely managing to escape, the four friends keep the event a secret. Franck tries to go back to his life as usual alongside his wife, Krystel (Mélanie Laurent), but in the next few days, he starts to feel like he and his friends are being watched, or worse, tracked by hunters who are now hell-bent on revenge."
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
