Apple has pulled a new French thriller from its Apple TV lineup just days before its planned global debut, after allegations that the series copied the plot of a book that came out in the 1970s. The eight-episode series, titled “The Hunt” (Traqués in French), had been set to premiere on Apple TV next Wednesday, December 3, with a two-episode launch followed by weekly installments through the end of the month. But then last week, Apple quietly removed all the trailers, listings, and other promotional materials for the show from its app and website without explanation.
Now, multiple outlets are reporting the decision was made around allegations accusing Cédric Anger, the creator and director of the show, of lifting the plot of “The Hunt” from a 1973 novel called “Shoot,” written by Douglas Fairbairn, which was later adapted into a 1976 movie of the same name. French journalist Clément Garin was the first to flag the similarities on his Substack.
French studio Gaumont, which produced “The Hunt,” has acknowledged that the series is on hold while it looks into the claims. In a statement shared with Variety, the company said: “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.”
Apple has not made any public statements about its decision and did not immediately respond to Fortune‘s requests for comment.
’Shoot’ vs. ‘The Hunt’
At the heart of the dispute are claims that the show’s premise closely tracks Fairbairn’s book. “Shoot” follows a group of longtime friends who spend weekends hunting together and clash with another group of hunters, setting off a violent confrontation and a sense that they are being pursued even after they return to their normal lives.
“The Hunt” was marketed with a similar setup: a group of friends on a hunting trip who are suddenly targeted by another group of hunters, with consequences that continue to haunt them.
Reports say Apple and Gaumont were both unaware of the similarities between “Shoot” and “The Hunt” throughout development, and only learned of the potential overlap once marketing for the show had begun rolling out. But for now, as Apple and Gaumont investigate the plagiarism claims, you won’t find any trailers or information about the show on any of Apple’s platforms.
This is obviously disappointing and potentially damaging for Apple. “The Hunt” had already wrapped production and featured a high-profile cast of French actors as part of the company’s push into making international originals that could compete with Netflix and Amazonin non-English-speaking markets. Pulling a fully produced series so close to launch means Apple is absorbing sunk production and marketing costs while gaining no near-term subscriber or viewership benefit.
As “The Hunt” remains in limbo, reports say Apple and Gaumont are considering possible legal action against Anger. There is no clear timeline for a decision around whether the series may be reworked, formally licensed, or shelved.
For this story, Fortune used generative AI to help with an initial draft. An editor verified the accuracy of the information before publishing.