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September 11, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
A quiet encyclopedia with a personal desk
Kept by Bryan McAllister — short guides, clear facts, and the Canadian angle when it matters.
Screen & Stage • Film

Primate (film)

Primate is a 2025 American natural horror film directed by Johannes Roberts and written by Roberts with Ernest Riera.

Updated September 11, 20261 min readCited sources

Primate is a 2025 American natural horror film about a rabid chimpanzee. Directed by Johannes Roberts, it premiered at Fantastic Fest in September 2025.

What it is

Primate is a survival horror story following a group of friends whose holiday is disrupted when their pet chimpanzee, Ben, contracts rabies and becomes violently aggressive. The film is an R-rated creature feature with an 89-minute runtime.

Key details

Johannes Roberts co-wrote the screenplay with Ernest Riera. The cast includes Johnny Sequoyah, Jessica Alexander, and Troy Kotsur. Paramount Pictures distributed the film, with 18hz Productions among the production companies.

Release and reception

The film premiered at Fantastic Fest on September 18, 2025, and opened in U.S. theatres on January 9, 2026. Reviews were generally mixed to positive, with critics calling it a gory, straightforward creature feature.

In short

  • Natural horror film about a rabid chimpanzee
  • Premiered at Fantastic Fest in September 2025
  • Released in US theatres January 9, 2026
  • Stars Johnny Sequoyah, Jessica Alexander, Troy Kotsur
Canadian angle

The film had international coverage and reviews, including in Canadian-accessible media markets, but no Canada-specific production or release information is clearly established in the provided sources.

Quick questions

What is Primate about?
It follows a pet chimpanzee named Ben who contracts rabies and turns violent, threatening the humans around him.
Who directed Primate?
Johannes Roberts directed the film and co-wrote it with Ernest Riera.
When was Primate released?
It premiered on September 18, 2025, at Fantastic Fest and opened in U.S. theatres on January 9, 2026.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primate_(2025_film)
    Supports: Director, writers, cast, premise, premiere date, theatrical release, and worldwide gross
  2. Rotten Tomatoes — https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/primate_2025
    Supports: Genre, director, writers, release date, runtime, rating, and box office
  3. IMDb — https://www.imdb.com/title/tt33028778/
    Supports: Release date and plot synopsis
  4. Fangoria — https://www.fangoria.com/primate-review-fantastic-fest/
    Supports: Fantastic Fest premiere, premise, and the chimpanzee character Ben
  5. The Guardian — https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jan/09/primate-horror-movie-review-monkey
    Supports: Release timing and premise
  6. Los Angeles Times — https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2026-01-09/primate-review-johnny-sequoyah-jessica-alexander-troy-kotsur-johannes-roberts
    Supports: Rating, runtime, and release context