Here's the movie Trump is suddenly attacking on Twitter — and why he might actually like it
President Trump on Friday continued to rail against Hollywood as "racist," this time with a tweet making clearer the specific subject of his ire.
After earlier in the day jabbing Hollywood as "racist" and "dangerous" without providing any context, the president on Friday tweeted angrily about "the movie coming out," which he declared was "made in order to inflame and cause chaos."
Although Trump didn't name the movie, he's almost certainly speaking of Universal's The Hunt, which has recently received Fox News coverage after advertising for it was pulled due to the recent mass shootings in Texas and Ohio. In the film, a group of characters from red states referred to as "deplorables" are hunted by liberal elites for sport, per The Hollywood Reporter.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
But Trump is missing a key piece of information he might have gleaned from watching the film's trailer: the "deplorables" are seemingly the film's heroes, with the audience being meant to root for them as they fight to survive against the villainous elites. Still, this didn't stop The Hunt from drawing lots of outrage on Fox News this week, with a guest on Laura Ingraham's show declaring without having seen the movie that its takeaway message is that "you should kill your political adversaries." Trump did not explain in his tweets how The Hunt might be considered racist.
This isn't the first time Trump has weighed in on a controversy surrounding a movie he hasn't seen, last year railing against another Universal film, First Man, for not showing Neil Armstrong planting the American flag on the moon, even though the flag is prominently shown having been planted on the moon in the movie and this action simply takes place off screen.
Universal reportedly fully intends to release The Hunt on Sept. 27 as scheduled, with an executive telling the Reporter earlier this week it's "meant to show what a stupid, crazy world we live in."
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
Today's political cartoons - October 11, 2024
Cartoons Friday's cartoons - gang warfare, sporting shocks, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Han Kang of South Korea wins literature Nobel Prize
Speed Read She is the first South Korean and first Asian woman to win the award
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
TD Bank accepts $3B fine over money laundering
Speed Read The US retail bank pleaded guilty to multiple criminal charges
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
OJ Simpson, star athlete tried for murder, dead at 76
Speed Read The former football hero and murder suspect lost his battle with cancer
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Momofuku's 'Chili Crunch' trademark uproar
Speed Read The company's attempt to own the sole rights has prompted backlash
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Kevin Hart awarded Mark Twain Prize
Speed Read He is the 25th recipient of the prestigious comedy prize
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Is Downton Abbey set to return for a final film?
Speed Read Imelda Staunton reveals that a third movie may be in the pipeline
By Adrienne Wyper, The Week UK Published
-
'Oppenheimer' sweeps Oscars with 7 wins
speed read The film won best picture, best director (Christopher Nolan) and best actor (Cillian Murphy)
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'Rust' armorer convicted of manslaughter
speed read The film's cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed by actor Alec Baldwin during rehearsal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The Beatles are getting 4 intersecting biopics
Speed Read Director Sam Mendes is making four separate movies, each told from the perspective of one band member
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Taylor Swift to Miley Cyrus: female artists dominate 2024 Grammys
Speed Read SZA, Phoebe Bridgers and Lainey Wilson were also among the winners at LA gala
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published