The line between a beloved pet and a lethal predator is being blurred—and then bloodily crossed—in Paramount’s upcoming horror-thriller, Primate.
Directed by genre veteran Johannes Roberts (47 Meters Down), the film is gearing up for a January release. To stoke the fires of anticipation, a new featurette titled “They Thought He Was Family” has been released, offering a chilling glimpse into a domestic nightmare that goes from sweet to sinister in seconds.
The Premise: From Homecoming to Horror
The narrative follows a college student (Johnny Sequoyah) returning to her family home, anticipating a peaceful reunion. The heart of the household is Ben, the family’s long-time pet chimpanzee. However, the warm welcome quickly dissolves into a fight for survival when Ben contracts rabies. In a feverish, viral rage, the once-gentle ape transforms into a hyper-violent engine of destruction, trapping the family in a claustrophobic battle against a creature they once loved.
The film features a compelling ensemble cast, including Johnny Sequoyah (“Landman”), Troy Kotsur (CODA), Jessica Alexander (The Little Mermaid), and Victoria Wyant.
A Commitment to Practical Carnage
In an era dominated by CGI, Johannes Roberts took a gamble by insisting on “old-school” practical effects to bring Ben to life. This wasn’t an easy pitch, but Roberts’ vision for visceral realism eventually won over producer Walter Hamada.
“When I first met Walter Hamada… he asked, ‘How are we going to do the chimp?’ I showed him some behind-the-scenes… and he was really keen to go practical,” Roberts shared. “It was sold all the way from the beginning to make a practical movie.”
This commitment to physical effects was heavily influenced by the 1983 Stephen King adaptation, Cujo. Much like Cujo used dogs and animatronics to create a relentless sense of dread, Roberts collaborated with the legendary Millennium FX to find a performer capable of mimicking a chimp’s distinctive, explosive physicality. The goal was to find someone with the stature of a child but the aggressive, vicious strength of a primate.
The “Chimp in the Room”: Addressing the Real-Life Danger
Roberts acknowledges that the film’s biggest hurdle isn’t the special effects—it’s the audience’s logic. The director is well aware of the skepticism surrounding the “pet chimp” trope. In reality, chimpanzees are terrifyingly powerful. The creatures have a bite force of 1,300 PSI (stronger than a male lion). They have strength somewhere around five times that of a human. This allows them to rip a man apart literally. There have been many instances of chimps turning on their owners, including one woman whose face was completely ripped off.
Roberts is betting that the film’s emotional core will help audiences suspend their disbelief. He wants the viewer to understand the family’s attachment to Ben, even though, rationally, having one of these predators in the living room is a recipe for disaster. The film asks: How long can you make excuses for a monster because you remember when it was a friend?
Release Date
Whether you’re a fan of creature features, high-tension thrillers, or practical gore, Primate looks to start the year with a scream. The film swings into theaters nationwide on January 9, 2026. Watch the new featurette below.
