Upcoming chimp-themed horror movie Primate debuts to overwhelmingly positive first reactions, comparing it to Stephen King's Cujo and Jordan Peele's Nope

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If you weren't already scared of monkeys, you will be soon

Ben the chimp making friends in the trailer for Primate
(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

It looks like January is going to be a great month for horror. Not only do we have 28 Years Later follow-up The Bone Temple to look forward to, a new chimp-themed gore-fest is hitting the big screen – and it's already winning over early viewers.

Primate currently holds an 84% score on Rotten Tomatoes, which is pretty impressive for an original horror movie. This comes just days after the movie received rave first reactions after early screenings, with many blown away by just how scary the film is, especially when it comes to villain Ben the Chimp.

Others are comparing Ben to fellow animal horror icons like Cujo, the killer dog from the Stephen King adaptation, and sinister simian Congo in Jordan Peele's Nope. "Cujo has nothing on Ben the Chimp!" said That Hashtag Show's Junior Felix, and Variety's Courtney Howard wrote, "Johannes Roberts’ Primate is CUJO with a chimp - even lifts from its inspiration, copying the pan (but from in a pool)."

Megan Garside
Megan Garside
Junior Social Media Editor, GamesRadar+

I'm the Junior Social Media Editor here at GamesRadar+, handling all of Total Film's social platforms. However, I also write, covering all things film and TV for the site's entertainment section. I joined GamesRadar+ in 2023 and have been here ever since. I previously worked in communications after graduating with an MA in journalism. In my spare time, you can find me binging horror movies or getting lost in a cosy little game on my Switch.

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