Apple TV has officially scheduled a new premiere date for its French-language thriller series The Hunt (Traqués) after a three-month delay caused by a plagiarism investigation. The streaming service confirmed that the six-episode drama will debut globally on March 4, following the resolution of an intellectual property probe that temporarily shelved the project just two weeks before its original December 3, 2025 launch.
Plagiarism Allegations Led to Investigation and Delay
The controversy first emerged in late November 2025 when French media journalist Clément Garin reported that the series, presented as an original creation by director Cédric Anger, bore striking similarities to a 1973 novel called Shoot by American author Douglas Fairbairn. The book was previously adapted into a 1976 film of the same name, directed by Harvey Hart from a screenplay by Richard Berg .
The timing of the discovery created significant complications for Apple TV and production company Gaumont. Promotional materials had already been released, and the show was heavily marketed for its early December debut. When the similarities came to light, Apple acted quickly by removing all traces of the series from its platform and promotional channels, including trailers and press pages .
Production company Gaumont launched an immediate investigation into the claims. In a statement released at the time, a Gaumont representative 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” .
Gaumont Secures Rights and Updates Credits
After a comprehensive review that lasted several months, Gaumont has now resolved the intellectual property concerns. The production company confirmed that it took “the necessary steps to identify the rights holders and obtain the required authorizations” .
The key change coming from this resolution involves the series’ official credits. The Hunt is now properly billed as “a series by Cédric Anger based on the novel Shoot by Douglas Fairbairn, which was first adapted into a feature film of the same name” . This adjustment follows agreements made between Gaumont and the rights holders of both the original book and the 1976 film adaptation. Fairbairn passed away in 1997, meaning the negotiations involved his estate .
Gaumont emphasized its commitment to creative rights in a statement following the resolution.
“Respect for works and authors’ rights is a fundamental principle for Gaumont, which can only be exercised with the trust and transparency of creative artists.”
What ‘The Hunt’ Is About
The series centers on Franck, played by three-time César Award winner Benoît Magimel, and his longtime friends who enjoy spending their weekends hunting together. Their routine hunting trip takes a violent turn when they encounter another group of hunters who begin targeting them without any explanation .
When one member of Franck’s party gets shot, his friends fight back and manage to take down one of the attackers. The group barely escapes and decides to keep the incident a secret. Franck tries to return to normal life with his wife Krystel, portrayed by two-time César Award winner Mélanie Laurent (Inglourious Basterds). But in the days that follow, Franck and his friends start feeling like they are being watched and tracked by the surviving hunters who now seek revenge .
The premise closely mirrors the plot of Fairbairn’s novel Shoot, which follows a similar scenario of a hunting party that becomes the hunted after a violent encounter in the wilderness. The 1973 novel and its 1976 film adaptation established this core narrative decades before The Hunt entered production .
Cast and Creative Team
The French-language thriller brings together an accomplished cast of European actors. Alongside Magimel and Laurent, the series features Damien Bonnard, Manuel Guillot, Cédric Appietto, and Frédéric Maranber in key roles .
Cédric Anger, the creator and director, has directed five of the six episodes. Guillaume Renusson directed Episode 3. Anger previously received César Award nominations for his work on films like Next Time I’ll Aim for the Heart .
The executive production team includes Gaumont’s leadership with Sidone Dumas, Isabelle Degeorges, Clémentine Vaudaux, and Alexis Barqueiro all serving as executive producers. This same quartet was involved with the project from its initial development stages .
Release Schedule and Streaming Details
The Hunt will premiere on Apple TV on March 4 with its first two episodes . After the debut, new episodes will release weekly every Wednesday, with the season finale scheduled for April 1. All six episodes run approximately one hour each .
Apple TV has restored all information about the show on its website and within the Apple TV app. The updated listings now reflect the revised credits acknowledging the source material .
The series will be available to global audiences in over 100 countries and regions through the Apple TV app. Viewers can watch on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac, smart TVs from various manufacturers, streaming devices, and gaming consoles. The service costs $12.99 per month with a seven-day free trial for new subscribers .
Background on the Investigation
The plagiarism allegations first surfaced when French media expert Clément Garin reported on his Substack that Anger had not informed Apple TV that his show was based on existing material . The French translation of Fairbairn’s Shoot was published under the title The Hunt, which added another layer of complexity to the situation .
The similarities between the series and the source material were significant enough to warrant the unprecedented step of pulling a fully produced and promoted show from the release schedule. Reports at the time indicated that both Apple and Gaumont considered potential legal action against Anger for allegedly misrepresenting the project as an original work .
The resolution through rights acquisition represents a practical solution that allows Apple to recover its investment in the production while properly crediting and compensating the original rights holders. Industry observers noted that this approach, while adding to the production costs, provides a path forward that avoids more serious legal consequences .
The Hunt joins Apple TV’s growing roster of non-English language originals, which includes French-language series such as Liaison, La Maison, Carême, and Drops of God. The streamer has been expanding its international offerings with shows like the Israeli spy thriller Tehran and German series Where’s Wanda .
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