Movies
‘Primitive War’ – Dinosaur Action Thriller Heads to Theaters Next Month
In the upcoming Primitive War, soldiers in Vietnam unexpectedly find themselves battling dinosaurs, and the film finally has a release date.
Primitive War releases in theaters on August 21, 2025 from Fathom Entertainment.
The upcoming monster movie from writer/director Luke Sparke (Occupation Rainfall, Bring Him To Me) adapts author Ethan Pettus’ 2017 sci-fi military novel.
Jeremy Piven (“Entourage,” Old School), Tricia Helfer (“Battlestar Galactica”, “Lucifer”), Ryan Kwanten (“True Blood”, Glorious), and Nick Wechsler (“The Boys “) headline Primitive War.
The official synopsis: “Vietnam. 1968. A search and rescue team known as Vulture Squad is sent to an isolated jungle valley to uncover the fate of a missing Green Beret platoon. As they hunt through the primordial depths of the valley, they discover ancient horrors that not only threaten to unravel their minds, but to end their lives as well. Dinosaurs have somehow been unleashed! When the casualties mount, the men of Vulture Squad must abandon their human nature and give in to their savage instincts in order to survive…the Primitive War.”
Anthony Ingruber (Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny), Aaron Glenane (Interceptor, Danger Close), Carlos Sanson Jr (Bump, Legacies), Ana Thu Nguyen (Mortal Kombat 2), Adolphus Waylee (Nautilus), Richard Brancatisano (The Messenger), Marcus Johnson (Talk to Me), and Jake Ryan (Savage, Underbelly) also star.
“I was captivated by the imagery surrounding Ethan’s book and the story it told. I’ve worked hard on capturing that essence but also the grittiness, horror aspects, and military edge. My vision is to feel like the characters have walked out of the film Platoon and into the jaws of the greatest predators the planet has ever known,” Director Luke Sparke previously said in a statement.
Primitive War is presented by Sparke Films in association with Let it be Entertainment and producers Carly Sparke, Carmel Imrie, Luke Sparke, Geoff Imrie, and Alex Becconsall.
Ahead of the film’s theatrical release, Sparke Films is bringing Primitive War to SDCC next week.
Fangoria Studios and Panick Studios are turning horror comic Black Diamond into a film, and Variety reports that Ernest Dickerson (Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight) will direct.
Black Diamond comic book creator Brendan Columbus will write the screenplay.
Black Diamond follows Owen and Victoria Welch on a family ski trip that spirals into a nightmare. When their son is abducted by a mysterious cult, the couple is pushed to the brink and faced with a soul-crushing ultimatum: sacrifice another child or lose their own forever.
The comic book series from Panick Entertainment is described as a “chilling folk horror thriller blending Hitchcockian psychological tension with the dread of The Wicker Man.”
“Black Diamond was my attempt to put everything I love about thrillers on the page,” Columbus tells Variety. “I want to make sure it feels like you physically can’t leave the theater or else you’ll miss the next twist or turn. With his masterful cinematic eye and his great story sense, Ernest is going to scare the hell out of everyone with this one.”
“Black Diamond immediately grabbed me because its horror is rooted in impossible human choices,” says Dickerson. “It taps into parental fear, morality, isolation, and survival in a way that is so unsettling and emotionally real. That combination will make for a very suspenseful and exciting cinematic experience.”
Ernest Dickerson is directing and executive producing the feature film. Black Diamond will notably be Ernest Dickerson’s first feature film as director since Double Play in 2017, though he has in more recent years been directing for an impressive string of television shows including “The Man in the High Castle,” “The Purge,” “Raised by Wolves,” “Bosch,” and “DMZ.”
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