BREAKING: Universal Pictures Cancels Release of Blumhouse’s The Hunt

Universal Pictures has announced that the controversial new Blumhosue movie The Hunt will no longer be released by the studio.

“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,” the studio 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 new film, which depicts a group of wealthy people kidnapping and then hunting humans for sport, has been the subject of controversy following the recent shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio.

The Hunt was scheduled to be released on September 27. Universal did not indicate when or if they plan to distribute the film in the future.

Jason Blum, the producer of Get Out and The Purge series, produced alongside and Damon Lindelof, co-creator of the TV series The Leftovers and Lost, who also co-wrote the film. Betty Gilpin and two-time Oscar winner Hilary Swank star with Ike Barinholtz, Emma Roberts, Justin Hartley, Glenn Howerton, and Amy Madigan. Craig Zobel (Z for Zachariah, The Leftovers) directed the film.