In Blumhouse’s The Hunt, twelve strangers are captured and hunted for sport by what an early synopses says says are “rich, liberal elites.” Universal Pictures was set to release the film in theaters next month, but in light of the recent mass shootings and much political turmoil, they have opted to “cancel” their plans to release the film. Deadline heard that a collective decision was made by Universal leadership, led by Donna Langley, with The Hunt filmmaking team.
As the site notes, the news of Universal canceling The Hunt comes after putting the brakes on the pic’s marketing campaign in the wake of the El Paso, TX; Dayton, OH; and Gilroy, CA mass shootings.
The studio released the following statement this morning:
“While Universal Pictures had already paused the marketing campaign for The Hunt, after thoughtful consideration, the studio has decided to cancel our plans to release the film. We stand by our filmmakers and will continue to distribute films in partnership with bold and visionary creators, like those associated with this satirical social thriller, but we understand that now is not the right time to release this film.”
While plans have been canceled, the site does note that it could come back at a later date for a theatrical release, or it could go to streaming once Comcast launches that service.
The Hunt follows 12 red-state strangers who wake up in a clearing and realize that they’re being hunted by liberals. Betty Gilpin and Oscar winner Hilary Swank play women on opposite sides of the political spectrum, conservative and liberal, who are targeting each other. Craig Zobel directed the movie which was written by Nick Cuse and Damon Lindelof.