Horror season isn’t waiting for Halloween this time — it’s coming straight for the new year.
Paramount Pictures and Walter Hamada’s 18Hz Productions are kicking off 2026 with Primate, a chilling survival thriller that’s already making waves on the festival circuit. Directed and co-written by Johannes Roberts, the film takes a sun-soaked Hawaiian getaway and turns it into a fight for survival when a family’s adopted chimpanzee, Ben, suddenly turns on them.
As the trailer teases, what starts as a tropical escape quickly spirals into chaos when the family’s “pet” begins to exhibit violent and unnatural behavior after being bitten by a rabid animal. One vacationer puts it best: “There’s something wrong with Ben.”
The film premiered at Fantastic Fest in September to an 88% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Primate stars Johnny Sequoyah (Dexter: New Blood), Jessica Alexander (Glass Onion), and Oscar-winner Troy Kotsur (CODA), alongside Victoria Wyant, Gia Hunter, Benjamin Cheng, Charlie Mann, and Tienne Simon.
Primate is the latest release under Hamada’s 18Hz banner, part of his renewed multi-year production pact with Paramount. Known for producing genre juggernauts like The Conjuring, It, and The Batman, Hamada continues his mission to deliver low-to-mid-budget horror that hits hard.
The film is produced by Hamada, John Hodges, and Bradley Pilz, with Roberts co-writing alongside Ernest Riera. Executive producers include Vicki Dee Rock, Nathan Samdahl, Pete Chiappetta, Anthony Tittanegro, and Andrew Lary.
Following its premiere at both Fantastic Fest and Beyond Fest, Primate will hit theaters on January 9, 2026 — a slot that’s proven golden for recent horror hits like M3GAN.
So, if your New Year’s resolution includes surviving a killer chimp on a remote island… good luck.