Movies
‘Primate’ – Paramount’s Killer Chimp Horror Movie Will Feature Old School Practical Effects
One of the horror films premiering at Fantastic Fest later this month is Paramount’s Primate from their horror label 18hz Productions, the latest from director Johannes Roberts (47 Meters Down, The Strangers: Prey at Night, Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City).
The upcoming movie’s plot description has been vague to this point, promising a “primal tale of horror and survival,” but Bloody Disgusting can confirm ahead of the Fantastic Fest World Premiere that Primate is a killer chimp horror movie, and we’re also hearing from sources that the film will make heavy use of old school practical effects for its rabies-infected chimp.
Here’s the full synopsis for Primate…
“Home from college, Lucy reunites with family including pet chimp Ben. Ben contracts rabies during a pool party and turns aggressive. Lucy and friends barricade in pool, devising ways to survive the vicious chimp.”
Primate releases in theaters January 9, 2026, and we’ve been hearing that it’s a gory crowd-pleaser that should kick off next year on a high note for the horror genre. Stay tuned for Meagan Navarro’s review out of Fantastic Fest next week, right here on Bloody Disgusting.
Johannes Roberts co-wrote the screenplay for Primate with Ernest Riera. The horror movie stars Johnny Sequoyah and Oscar®-winning Troy Kotsur (CODA).
Walter Hamada is producing Primate, part of a new horror pact with Paramount.
Fantastic Fest is back this year for its milestone 20th anniversary from September 18-25. Primate‘s West Coast premiere will later be taking place at Beyond Fest in Los Angeles.
Maika Monroe (Longlegs) and director David Robert Mitchell are reuniting for It Follows sequel They Follow, and Deadline brings us the latest casting news this week.
Jackie Earle Haley (Little Children, A Nightmare on Elm Street), Justine Lupe (Succession), Anna Mirodin (Ivan), Jayne Taini (Unbelievable), Michael Gandolfini (Daredevil: Born Again), Tom Pecinka (Stereophonic), Melora Walters (Magnolia), Ben Krieger (Song Sung Blue), Natalie Shinnick (The Brutalist) and Jan Hoag (The Fabelmans) have joined the cast this week.
Naomi Ackie (Blink Twice) has also been confirmed to join They Follow.
Deadline notes in their report this afternoon, “Plot details for the long-anticipated sequel are under wraps, other than it taking place a decade after the events of the original film.”
They Follow is expected to enter production this Summer. Stay tuned for updates.
In the first movie, Maika Monroe’s Jay Height is a young woman followed by an unknown supernatural force after a sexual encounter. In the sequel, the threat is now EVERYWHERE.
“It’s very dark,” Monroe recently teased. “We’re pushing the boundaries on this one for sure.”
“It’s very different from the original,” Monroe told Discussing Film. “The original is a little more heightened and dramatic, and this is really quite grounded and follows the story of these two women that are mentally dealing with a lot. I thought it was really an interesting take on it.”
NEON and Good Fear Content are producing They Follow.
They Follow will feature a new score from Disasterpeace.
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