Originally slated for early last Fall and then pulled amidst a social media whirlwind, Universal Pictures recently rescheduled its controversial satirical action-thriller “The Hunt” for next Friday and have been cleverly capitalising on all the talk that happened to entice audiences.
So far there has been no sign of another potential blowback this time out and so the film is finally expected to be seen by audiences soon. One person who has kept fairly mum about all this is the film’s director Craig Zobel who has now opened up in an interview with Playboy about what happened.
He says he originally felt ‘shock’ over the initial delay and has said Universal has stood by him and writers Damon Lindelof (“Watchmen”) and Nick Cuse (“The Leftovers”) throughout and always intended on bringing the film to screen:
“Hearing that Universal had decided to date the film for release again was a feeling of relief. Most of all, it’s been a challenge to talk about your intentions with a project when nobody can actually see the project. I’m excited to get the film out there where everyone can make decisions about it for themselves.
The first thing that went through my mind when I heard the film was pulled was shock at the irony. I felt like if I could talk to someone and remind that the film was primarily concerned with internet trolls – that the things happening to the film were also happening in the film – that someone would laugh and go, ‘Okay, yeah, we shouldn’t pull it.’ Then I realized that we’d crossed a threshold where that wasn’t gonna help.”
The Betty Gilpin and Hilary Swank-led film will be seen in cinemas on Friday March 13th.
