Paramount has released a second behind-the-scenes featurette for Primate, titled “Silence,” offering a closer look at Johannes Roberts’ survival thriller through the perspective of Academy Award winner Troy Kotsur (CODA). The new featurette shifts focus from the film’s set pieces to process and perspective, with Kotsur guiding viewers through the production from a world without sound.
Roberts has built a career around contained, high-pressure scenarios. Films such as 47 Meters Down and Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City place characters in restricted environments where danger escalates through proximity and limited options. Primate continues that approach to animal-driven horror, but this new featurette highlights a more deliberate emphasis on character and perception, particularly in how tension is shaped when sound is removed from the equation.
Primate centres on Lucy (Johnny Sequoyah – “Dexter: New Blood”), who returns to her family home over the holidays. When her father (Kotsur) is unexpectedly called away for work, Lucy is left with her sister Erin and the family’s chimpanzee, Ben. A small gathering involving Lucy’s friends Kate and Hannah, along with Kate’s older brother Nick, sets events in motion. The situation escalates as the group becomes increasingly isolated, with no straightforward way to seek help.
The supporting cast includes Jessica Alexander (Into the Deep), Victoria Wyant (My Fault London), Gia Hunter (“Sherlock & Daughter”), Benjamin Cheng, Charlie Mann (The Watchers), and Tienne Simon (All the Devils Are Here). Although set in Hawaii, the film was shot largely on London sound stages, with production design handled by Simon Bowles.
Primate premiered at Fantastic Fest last September, where early responses noted its pacing, use of practical effects, and controlled approach to tension. The film currently holds a 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Paramount has also confirmed that special captioned advanced preview screenings will take place nationwide, allowing audiences to see the film ahead of its general release in an accessible format.
Primate opens in UK cinemas on January 30 and in US theatres on January 9.
