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The Hunt: Banned film billed ‘the most talked about movie nobody has ever seen’ is finally getting released

Universal temporarily cancelled the film’s release after two mass shootings

Jacob Stolworthy
Thursday 13 February 2020 11:50 GMT
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The Hunt (2019) - trailer

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The Hunt, whose release was temporarily cancelled following two mass shootings in the US, will be getting released later this year.

Universal Pictures will be unveiling the film seven months after marketing was pulled amid the killings and criticism from Trump regarding violence in cinema.

Trump said that the satire, which follows 12 red-state strangers who wake up in a clearing and realise they are being hunted by liberals, was designed to “inflame and cause chaos”.

Consequently, film fans were left wondering whether the film would see the light of day following Universal’s decision to cancel its release. In a statement, the studio said that “now is not the time” for the film.

The marketing for the film’s release is now leaning into the ban in a big way. The film’s new tagline reads: “The most talked about movie nobody has ever seen.”

Speaking about the furore surrounding the film, producer Jason Blum told Variety: “If the controversy gets more people to see it then that’s okay with me.”

The Hunt is written by Lost and Watchmen showrunner Damon Lindelof as well as Nick Cuse – who co-wrote episodes of the latter – and stars Hilary Swank, Emma Roberts and GLOW actor Betty Gilpin.

The initial announcement to cancel the film’s release angered many on social media who claimed the plot has been misinterpreted.

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