Controversial movie The Hunt about ‘liberal elites’ hunting ‘deplorables’ from red states is to be released six months after a backlash forced NBC Universal to shelve it, in the wake of mass shootings and President Trump slamming the film’s creators as ‘racist’.
The film caused outrage ahead of its scheduled September release, with its violent plot showing a group of people from predominately Republican states being kidnapped and hunted for sport by privileged liberals.
It was slammed on social media, particularly in the aftermath of mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton that left 31 dead and sent shockwaves across the US.
Conservatives called it everything from ‘political violence’ to ‘sick murder fantasies about right-wingers’.
President Trump even waded into the debate, branding the movie’s creators ‘racist’ and saying it was ‘made to inflame and cause chaos’.
‘Liberal Hollywood is Racist at the highest level, and with great Anger and Hate! They like to call themselves ‘Elite,’ but they are not Elite. In fact, it is often the people that they so strongly oppose that are actually the Elite,’ Trump scorned from the White House Lawn in August.
‘The movie coming out is made in order to inflame and cause chaos. They create their own violence, and then try to blame others. They are the true Racists, and are very bad for our Country!’
The day after the president’s attack, Universal announced that ‘after thoughtful consideration’ it was cancelling the film’s release on September 27 altogether.
Universal has backpedaled on its decision, announcing Tuesday that it will release the film on March 13 and capitalizing on the publicity its controversy brought with a new marketing campaign (above)
President Trump branded the movie’s creators ‘racist’ and said the film was ‘made to inflame and cause chaos’ one day before the studios shelved it
Universal has now backpedaled on its decision, announcing Tuesday that it will release the film on March 13 and capitalizing on the publicity its controversy brought with a new marketing campaign.
The film studios broke the news with a new ad poster proclaiming: ‘The most talked about movie of the year is one that no one’s actually seen. Decide for yourself.’
The original release date has been crossed out with the new date ‘March 13’ next to it and snippets of the news coverage the film has garnered pre-release.
A new trailer has also been released showing scenes of intense violence.
The film caused outrage ahead of its scheduled September release, with its violent plot showing a group of people from predominately Republican states being kidnapped and hunted for sport by privileged liberals
It was slammed last year on social media, particularly in the aftermath of mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton that left 31 dead and sent shockwaves across the US
Conservatives called it everything from ‘political violence’ to ‘sick murder fantasies about right-wingers’, leading the film studios to make the call to pull the movie back in August
‘You actually believed we were hunting human beings for sport,’ says one character in the trailer, to the rebuttal: ‘But you are.’
Producer Jason Blum and screenwriter Damon Lindelof defended the film as a satirical take on the divided nation and insisted the movie does not show political allegiance, in an exclusive interview with The Hollywood Reporter released Tuesday.
‘None of us were interested in taking sides with this movie,’ Blum said.
He said he received threats last summer in the lead-up to the film’s original release.
‘It’s probably the most judged movie that’s ever existed that everyone who judged it hadn’t seen,’ he said.
Lindelof said that the film actually draws attention to the division between political party supporters across the US.
‘We think that people who see it are going to enjoy it and this may be a way to shine a light on a very serious problem in the country, which is that we’re divided. And we think the movie may actually, ironically, bring people together,’ he said.
Lindelof said that critics linking the movie to the tragic mass shootings is unfounded.
A test screening a couple of days after the August shootings found that the audience drew no connection to the tragedies, he said.
The Hunt is a satirical take on wealthy thrill-seekers who take a private jet to a five-star resort where they embark on a ‘deeply rewarding’ expedition that involves hunting down and killing designated humans.
Characters in the film, which was originally called Red State Vs. Blue State, apparently refer to the victims as ‘deplorables’ – a term that Hillary Clinton infamously dubbed Trump supporters during the 2016 election.
Hilary Swank and Betty Gilpin star as the two leads playing women on the opposite political sides.
President Donald Trump on Friday called Hollywood racist, amid controversy over a film that shows ‘deplorables’ being hunted
There was a backlash on social media over the premise of the film ahead of its original release date
Universal first agreed to ‘temporarily pause’ the movie’s marketing campaign in August in the wake of two mass shootings, but had planned to plow on with its September release.
On August 3, 22 people were killed in a mass shooting in El Paso, Texas when Patrick Crusius stormed a Walmart and opened fire.
The next day gunman Connor Betts shot and killed 10 people in a bar in Dayton, Ohio.
Despite the decision to pull the ads, Fox News and Fox Business slammed the film, with anchor Lou Dobbs calling it ‘sick’ and ‘twisted’ and ‘a little too real.’
The Hunt will be released in cinemas on Friday March 13. It is produced by Jason Blum’s Blumhouse, is directed by Craig Zobel and was written by Lindelof and Nick Cuse
When it announced the original cancellation Universal said in a statement: ‘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,’ it said in a statement.
‘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 will be released in cinemas on Friday March 13.
It is produced by Jason Blum’s Blumhouse, is directed by Craig Zobel and was written by Lindelof and Nick Cuse.
The Hunt is billed as a satire that follows wealthy thrill-seekers taking a private jet to a five-star resort where they embark on a ‘deeply rewarding’ expedition that involves hunting down and killing designated humans