Tasmanian Tigers (which are not related to cats, and are actually marsupials, like kangaroos) are believed to have gone extinct in 1936, though there are some that believe that they still exist in the wilds of Tasmania.

It strikes me as fascinating that it could possibly be alive today, which is why I am surprised that in films that revolve around the animal it is often treated as a tertiary, as opposed to a primary, motivator for action.  That was the case in 2008’s “Dying Breed,” a horror movie that in a very peripheral fashion revolved around the animal, using it more as a metaphor for a culture, a way of life that was dying, than anything really to do with the creature itself.

So now we have “The Hunter,” and if I can judge from the trailer, it appears to be doing the same thing, though “Dying Breed” didn’t have superstars like Willem Dafoe or Sam Neill to bring to the party.

That being said, I think its kind of lame that the animal itself doesn’t appear to take a greater role because I would really like to see a movie about the trials and tribulations involved with a search for a living, breathing Tasmanian Tiger.