Craig Zobel’s The Hunt, which was the center of controversy when it was released in 2020, has surprisingly returned to the zeitgeist after five years. However, this time, it is being embraced by fans of the horror genre in the United States. Since it is one of the movies like The Running Man to stream while waiting for Glen Powell’s remake to release, it is easy to see why The Hunt has had a recent resurgence.

2025’s The Woman in the Yard is streaming currently too, and is the most recent Blumhouse production to split audiences and critics. The production house has a reputation for producing the most controversial and intense horror movies, which often feature succinct and meaningful commentary, which inevitably causes controversy when they’re released.

According to a FlixPatrol report, The Hunt is currently in Peacock’s top 10 in the U.S. The Hunt was also a hit on Netflix last year, proving that the film’s reputation precedes itself, and viewers are eager to watch the divisive horror.

What Being A Streaming Hit Means For The Hunt

The Movie Still Inspires Intrigue

Despite the years pᴀssing since its initial release, the news about The Hunt‘s controversy will perhaps be forever inextricably linked with it, and in turn, cause curious viewers to watch it. However, the controversy is directly related to the film’s themes, and its continued popularity proves that The Hunt is just as relevant five years later.

The Hunt‘s exploration of the toxicity of political discourse in today’s world is timely now, six months after the American election, when the continued debates about politics tend to occupy every possible medium. So, word of mouth has undoubtedly played a significant role in The Hunt‘s recent streaming success.

While it is unlikely that a sequel to The Hunt will ever materialize, despite rumors about it, the current interest in it only proves that no press is bad press. Despite the postponement, ban, and eventual theatrical release of the film, the controversy has only made viewers more interested in watching it. The timelessness of its themes also makes it eternally relevant.

Our Take On The Hunt’s Popularity On Streaming

Its Controversy & Themes Are Making It A Cult Classic

The Hunt follows a group of middle-class people who are gathered on an island and hunted for sport by the social elite. However, the motivation for the hunt is political – the targets all represent political ideologies that offend the hunters. It was made to satirize the highly polarizing and reactive nature of online political discourse in the U.S.

However, in the wake of the Dayton and El Paso mᴀss shootings, and after the current President of the United States raised an alarm about the film’s divisive politics, not only was its release postponed, but The Hunt was also taken off Blumhouse’s release roster until 2020, when the success of Joker convinced the studio to release it.

Buoyed by Betty Gilpin and Hilary Swank’s performances and its main themes, The Hunt will enthrall fans of slashers and of satire. While the dry wit often feels grating because parody and horror don’t necessarily blend well as genres, the commentary, albeit on-the-nose, is delivered with such tongue-in-cheek, self-satisfied direction that The Hunt could become a cult classic.