According to 9to5Mac, Apple has pulled French-language series The Hunt from its release schedule just before its planned December 3 premiere. The company completely scrubbed all references to the show, removing the press release from its PR newsroom and making the YouTube trailer private. This follows September’s controversial cancellation of The Savant, which still hasn’t received a new release date two months later. Unlike The Savant, The Hunt doesn’t even appear in the TV app anymore as “coming later.” The show about hunting friends being targeted by rivals was greenlit back in June 2024 under the working title “A L’ombre Des Forets.” Apple hasn’t provided any explanation for pulling the series at this late stage.
What’s going on at Apple TV+?
So here’s the thing – pulling one show at the last minute could be a coincidence. But two in two months? That starts to look like a pattern. And it’s not like these are minor adjustments – we’re talking about complete content removal just days before premiere. The Savant situation was messy enough, apparently tied to real-world events involving political activist Charlie Kirk. But The Hunt? There’s no obvious controversy there that would explain this level of radio silence.
What’s particularly strange is how thorough the removal has been. The trailer is private on Apple’s main YouTube channel (though still up on their Australian channel if you’re curious). The press release vanished. The TV app listing is gone. This isn’t just a delay – it feels like they’re trying to make the show disappear entirely. For a company that’s been steadily building its French-language originals lineup, this seems like an abrupt about-face.
Bigger questions about content strategy
Look, Apple TV+ has been playing the prestige game since day one. They’ve won awards, they’ve built a reputation for quality over quantity. But these last-minute cancellations raise real questions about their content approval process. How does a show get all the way to trailer stage, scheduled for release, and then get yanked? Either someone wasn’t paying attention during development, or external factors are forcing sudden changes.
And here’s what really bothers me – the complete lack of transparency. When companies make these kinds of moves without explanation, it leaves creators in limbo and audiences confused. It also makes you wonder what other shows might be on shaky ground. If you’re thinking about subscribing to Apple TV+, these kinds of moves might give you pause about how reliable their release schedule really is.
Basically, Apple needs to figure out what’s causing these last-minute cold feet. Because right now, it looks like they’re either incredibly cautious or incredibly disorganized. Neither is a good look for a streaming service trying to compete in an already crowded market.
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