Universal cancels R-rated thriller ‘The Hunt’ after Donald Trump lashes out at Hollywood on Twitter
- Film was due to be released on September 27, but was cancelled after the US president express his disgust with the subject matter
Universal Pictures cancelled the release of The Hunt, a satirical thriller about a group of Americans who are captured to be hunted and killed for sport, following apparent criticism by US President Donald Trump and a recent series of mass shootings.
Universal had already held back on marketing the film, slated for release on September 27, after the recent shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio.
In a statement Saturday, Universal said it had decided to take the further step of cancelling the film’s release, saying: “we understand that now is not the right time to release this film”.
Left open was the possibility that the movie could be released in theatres or on streaming at a later date.
Trump criticised the planned movie on Twitter Friday, without mentioning its name, saying it was intended “to inflame and cause chaos.”
The president also had harsh words for Hollywood in the tweet, saying “Liberal Hollywood is Racist at the highest level”.