The upcoming horror-comedy Primate (2026 release) is already generating serious buzz, and not just because it’s starring Nicholas Hoult and Margaret Qualley in a story about a chimpanzee that starts acting way too human.

Director Josh Trank (Chronicle, Fantastic Four) recently gave a very clear message: this is not Planet of the Apes, not Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and definitely not a “funny talking monkey” movie.

Here’s what he revealed about the tone, story, and why Primate is trying to do something completely different in the animal horror space.

The Core Premise (No Spoilers)

Primate follows a couple (Hoult and Qualley) who adopt an unusually intelligent chimpanzee as part of an experimental therapy program. What begins as a quirky, feel-good story quickly spirals into psychological terror when the chimp begins to understand, imitate, and eventually manipulate the humans around it.

Trank was very direct about the tone he’s going for:

“This isn’t a comedy with a talking animal. This is a horror film first. The laughs come from discomfort, from the uncanny valley of seeing something that looks like an animal but is behaving like a person who’s starting to hate you. It’s about what happens when intelligence meets resentment.”

Why Trank Chose This Story

In the interview, Trank explained that he was drawn to the project because of how rarely animal intelligence is treated as genuinely terrifying in modern cinema:

“We’ve seen heroic apes, funny apes, wise apes. But we rarely see what would actually happen if a non-human primate had human-level cognition and human-level grudges. That’s scary. That’s primal. That’s what I wanted to explore.”

He also addressed comparisons to other films head-on:

• Not Planet of the Apes: “Those are about revolution and society. This is intimate, personal, and domestic.”
• Not Nope or other “alien animal” movies: “This isn’t about spectacle. It’s about what’s already in your house turning against you.”

Cast & Production Highlights

• Nicholas Hoult plays the husband who initially sees the chimp as a cute experiment.
• Margaret Qualley plays the wife who becomes increasingly convinced the animal is watching them.
• Supporting roles include a behavioral scientist (rumored to be Toni Collette) and a veterinarian who knows more than he’s letting on.
• Shooting took place mostly in a single location (a remote house) to heighten claustrophobia.
• The chimpanzee is portrayed using a combination of real trained animals, animatronics, and CGI — Trank emphasized they avoided overusing CGI to keep the uncanny feeling authentic.

Why This Could Be a Breakout Horror Hit in 2026

• Fresh angle: Most animal horror films lean on jump scares or body horror. Primate seems to be going for psychological dread and slow-burn tension.
• Top-tier talent: Hoult and Qualley are both coming off critically praised roles and have strong indie credibility.
• Trank redemption arc: After Fantastic Four (2015), fans are curious if he can return to the sharp, character-driven horror of Chronicle.
• January release window: The film is reportedly aiming for a January 2026 theatrical release — a month that loves contained horror (The Monkey, M3GAN, etc.).

Early Fan & Industry Reaction

• Reddit threads already calling it “the anti-Planet of the Apes horror”
• Horror Twitter accounts hyping the “uncanny chimpanzee” concept
• Some worry it could end up silly if the execution isn’t perfect

But if Trank nails the tone he’s describing, Primate could be one of the most unsettling originals of 2026.

Are you excited for a horror film about a too-smart chimp? Or do you think it’ll fall flat? Let us know in the comments!