Creature horror is about to get feral this January. The upcoming killer-chimp thriller Primate has officially been rated R by the Motion Picture Association, signaling a graphic and uncompromising experience for horror audiences when it arrives in theaters later this month.
The film received its R rating for strong bloody violence, gore, and language, immediately setting expectations that Primate will not shy away from brutality. The classification places the film firmly in hard-horror territory, aligning it with classic animal-attack films that favor raw intensity over restraint.
Directed by Johannes Roberts, Primate centers on a seemingly ordinary family vacation that turns into a nightmare when a chimpanzee becomes violently unpredictable. As the animal’s behavior escalates, the situation spirals into a desperate fight for survival, tapping into primal fears of nature turning hostile and uncontrollable.
The R rating has already fueled heightened interest among genre fans, particularly those drawn to creature features that embrace visceral horror rather than camp or spectacle. Early reporting suggests the film leans heavily into tension and gore, positioning it closer to survival horror than traditional monster movies.
Primate is scheduled to hit theaters on 9 January 2026, placing it early in what is shaping up to be one of the most aggressive opening months for horror in recent years. It joins a packed January slate that also includes titles like We Bury the Dead, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, and Return to Silent Hill.
With its savage premise, hard R rating, and no-holds-barred approach, Primate is shaping up to be one of January’s most intense horror releases, and a clear signal that 2026 is wasting no time unleashing its monsters.
