Apple Won't Run Series Over Copycat Claims

Apple TV has yanked its upcoming French series The Hunt just days before its scheduled premiere, following allegations that the show's screenwriter lifted major plot points from a decades-old book. The French production company behind the show, Gaumont, confirmed the postponement Tuesday in a statement emphasizing its commitment to addressing "any questions related to the production" and asserting, "We take intellectual property matters very seriously," per the New York Times. The move comes after reports surfaced that director-screenwriter Cedric Anger drew heavily from Shoot, a 1973 novel by American author Douglas Fairbairn, without proper disclosure. Fairbairn's novel was translated into French in 1974 as La Traque or The Hunt.

It was later turned into a 1976 movie called Shoot and starring Cliff Robertson and Ernest Borgnine, the Guardian reports. The movie followed a group of hunters who were apparently targeted by another hunter, who they ultimately killed before fearing his companions would come after them. A trailer for Anger's show tells much the same story. According to an Apple release, it follows a group of hunters who are stalked by another group, even after returning to their homes. French media journalist Clément Garin reported on Substack that Anger failed to notify Apple TV that the series was effectively an adaptation. The show, filmed in France last year with a cast led by César award winners Benoît Magimel and Mélanie Laurent, was slated to air next Wednesday.