Universal and Blumhouse's The Hunt, has been at the center of media controversy in 2019, bumping its release date from September 27, 2019 to March 13, 2020; while certainly not always an ideal, this shift is actually a very smart move.
Per Universal Pictures, The Hunt has been described as a story that is "loosely based" on the popular short story, The Most Dangerous Game from Richard Connell, which was first published in 1924. Connell's story was meant to capitalize on the trend of big game hunting, which was popular amongst wealthy people at the time. The term 'game' in the title can refer to both the hunted (people) who are the 'game' as well as the hunters putting their lives at risk to hunt individuals who are tenacious, intelligent, and won't go down without a fight. Part of the reason why Universal and Blumhouse shelved the movie originally was because of the concept being updated to reflect politics; this sparked a controversy with President Donald Trump condemning violent media in the wake of mass shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio.
Trump's ers also were angered by the film, as it seemed to depict those with a liberal political lean hunting those who identify as politically conservative. However, some critics have said the film actually depicted the reverse. Universal made the decision to pull the film ultimately based on a decision to remain sensitive to the tragedies, but also seemed to take the surrounding controversy into consideration. Yet, upon recent news of The Hunt releasing in March, promotional materials sought to capitalize on the discussion and utilize it as a strength. Even the release date, along with being on a Friday the 13th - a day well-known to genre fans - was a calculated decision that could ultimately play in its favor and bring a more successful release.
Why The Hunt's Release Date Change Was So Smart
Packed with a star-studded cast including Betty Gilpin (the director has stated that aspects of the film's first trailer didn't quite paint a complete picture of his intentions, and given the politically-charged environment, especially related to social media, the snowball effect came on too quickly to divert. While those associated with the project seemed dismayed that it wouldn't reach its audience or have a shot at success, it never seemed completely unlikely that The Hunt would, at some point, get a second release date after the dust had settled.
Now, the release date for The Hunt could work in its favor. September is commonly seen as another "dump month", as the trends for moviegoers decline with school being back in session. Likewise, sporting events and the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) often siphon from wide theatrical releases. September has had successful releases before, as nothing is a guarantee to succeed or fail in Hollywood, but March seems like a better month for a very specific reason. The timeliness of political hype surrounding the Democratic Primaries in the United States right before another major Presidential election cycle makes it a talking point, not just a background note.
As Super Tuesday, arguably one of the biggest election days other than the national holiday itself, happened on March 3rd, The Hunt being released just over a week after can't be hurtful. Some news outlets, such as CNN, have chosen to run trailers for the film during debates and other coverage related to politics. Since this likely means Universal and Blumhouse are specifically targeting a certain demographic - the politically minded - perhaps The Hunt can build from its negative reputation and forge itself into a smash hit.
