Days after halting all marketing plans for the upcoming release of The Hunt, Universal Pictures has officially pulled the full theatrical release amid the recent mass shootings in El Paso, TX, Dayton OH, & Gilroy, CA.
The decision to press pause on the September 27 release came from Universal leadership, led by Donna Langley, with The Hunt filmmaking team. The studio released the following statement about the decision:
“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.”
The Hunt follows 12 red-state strangers who wake up in a clearing and realize that they’re being hunted by liberal elites. Hilary Swank & Betty Gilpin star in the film from director Craig Zobel.
There are no official plans when it comes to what happens with The Hunt next. It could be released theatrically later or even go to streaming once NBCUniversal parent Comcast launches its service.
