The controversial horror film The Hunt, which has been banned in the U.S.A., has now landed on Netflix in the U.K. Find out more here...

Film & TV

Horror Movie Banned In The USA Is Now Available To Watch On Netflix

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15:34 23 December 2024

Updated: 15:45 23 December 2024


A horror movie which was banned in the USA has now landed on Netflix.

The satirical horror film starring Hilary Swank and Betty Gilpin, has generated significant controversy since its initial announcement.

Centered on a plot where 12 strangers are hunted by ‘globalist elites,’ the movie has been interpreted as a sharp political commentary, depicting wealthy liberals targeting right-leaning individuals.

Despite its provocative premise, the film’s release was delayed due to political backlash and its proximity to tragic mass shootings in the United States.

The Hunt
A horror movie which was banned in the USA has now landed on Netflix. Credit: Universal Pictures

Originally slated for release on September 27, 2019, the film faced intense scrutiny in the aftermath of the El Paso and Dayton shootings on August 4 of that year.

These tragedies, occurring within hours of one another and resulting in over 30 fatalities, prompted Universal Pictures to pause marketing efforts for the film.

The decision to pull its trailer and subsequently cancel the release date was made after what the studio described as ‘thoughtful consideration.’

However, the controversy surrounding the film escalated after comments from then-President Donald Trump.

Although Trump did not directly reference The Hunt, he denounced Hollywood for producing movies he claimed were intended to ‘inflame and cause chaos.’

His remarks, coupled with coverage on conservative platforms like Fox News, painted the film as a liberal attack on conservatives, further amplifying the political discourse.

Critics of the movie pointed to its use of the term ‘deplorables,’ a word famously used by Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential campaign to describe half of Trump’s supporters.

This detail led many to interpret the film as a narrative of liberals hunting conservatives, igniting heated debates about its underlying message.

The Hunt
The satirical horror film starring Hilary Swank and Betty Gilpin, has generated significant controversy since its initial announcement. Credit: Universal Pictures

Despite the shelving of the film, its creators maintained that the story was intended as satire rather than a serious political statement.

Director Craig Zobel described the project as ‘fun, funny, and not super dark.’

Nonetheless, the climate of political polarization in the U.S. made its original release date untenable.

Seven months later, Universal announced the film’s re-release, leaning into the controversy with a new tagline: “The most talked about movie nobody has ever seen.”

The release, rescheduled for March 2020, sparked further discussion, with producer Jason Blum expressing hope that the debates surrounding the movie would draw more viewers.

While some praised the studio for their sensitivity in delaying the initial release, others criticized the irony of banning a film about violence while access to guns remained largely unregulated.

Ultimately, The Hunt stands as a polarizing cultural artifact, reflecting deep political and social divisions in the United States.

Watch the trailer for The Hunt here…

The Hunt is available to stream on Netflix UK.

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