Primate

Lucy is a college student who brings her friends to her family home in Hawaii for a relaxed vacation, where the household includes Ben, the family chimpanzee. When Ben is bitten by a rabid animal, his familiar warmth flips into terrifying aggression, and the gathering becomes a desperate scramble to survive against a now violent animal they once trusted. As fear spreads, the group’s loyalties and nerves are tested, and they have to make brutal, pragmatic choices to protect one another while trying to contain Ben. The movie keeps the tension tight and the setting claustrophobic, turning a sunny getaway into a nightmarish fight against an intimate threat.

Primate premiered in 2026, directed by Johannes Roberts from a concept by Ernest Riera. The cast features Johnny Sequoyah as Lucy, Jessica Alexander as Hannah, Troy Kotsur as Adam, Victoria Wyant as Kate, and Gia Hunter as Erin, with an emphasis on practical creature effects and Hawaiian locations.

The film aimed squarely at genre audiences, opening in select theaters and appearing at horror-focused venues before broader availability. Its commercial run was modest, reflecting targeted distribution rather than a wide blockbuster push, so box office impact stayed limited.

Reception was mixed, matching its 6.5/10 audience vote average, with many viewers praising the sustained tension and the tangible effects work while others noted uneven pacing and thin character development. The narrative leans on themes about the consequences of keeping wild animals as pets, how panic alters group dynamics, and the moral weight of survival choices when someone you care for becomes dangerous.

Primate hasn’t yet left a large mark on mainstream culture, but it’s prompted conversation among horror fans about animal safety on set and the ethics of depicting trained animals in violent roles. Within the animal-attack subgenre, it’s been noticed for its intimate focus and for bringing a modern voice to familiar, primal fears.