Filming has started on an upcoming survival thriller about an out-of-control grizzly bear, but there is one thing different about this movie… it uses a real bear.
Savage Hunt is currently in production in Bulgaria and is using a real grizzly bear on location as part of the shoot, as reported by Deadline. "We wanted to strive for as much realism as possible, showing how powerful nature can be, and the effects of man encroaching on an animal’s natural environment," said the producers, adding: "Filming with a real bear in real locations with real actors is a very complex task." See the first look of the bear on set above.
As per the synopsis, the film follows: "A vengeful tracker who is brought in to hunt down a large grizzly bear, which has begun attacking humans when a new local resort begins construction, disrupting the natural habitat of the wildlife."
Bear attack scenes in movies are not uncommon, spanning across all genres such as in Leonardo DiCaprio’s The Revenant, dark comedy Cocaine Bear, and gruesome 2014 wilderness survival pic Backcountry. But the difference with Savage Hunt is that the bear is very much real with little to no CGI involved (when it comes to the furry beast), making the horror feel all the more real. However, it does make us wonder how the team will pull off the kill scenes - if there are any. I guess it depends on how good of an actor the bear is.
Savage Hunt is directed by Dutch filmmaker Roel Reiné, and written by Chad Law and Christopher Jolley. Reiné is best known for directing the Netflix action movie Fistful of Vengeance and season 1 episode 3 and episode 4 of the video game TV adaptation Halo.
Savage Hunt does not yet have a release date. For more, see our list of the best thriller movies, and keep up to date with upcoming movies heading your way.
