After a reasonably successful theatrical release in the United States, Primitive War will soon be available on Video on Demand. This war film featuring dinosaurs was released by Samuel Goldwyn Films and performed unexpectedly well during its limited theatrical run.

During its U.S. premiere on August 21, Primitive War attracted full theaters and grossed over 1 million dollars. The film was compared on social media to Predator, but with dinosaurs instead.

Vietnam War With A Twist

The film is based on the novel of the same name by Ethan Pettus and is set in 1968, during the Vietnam War. A reconnaissance unit known as Vulture Squad is sent on a mission to locate a missing platoon, but deep in the jungle, they make a life-threatening discovery: dinosaurs.

Directed by Luke Sparke, known for Occupation, the cast includes Ryan Kwanten, Tricia Helfer, Nick Wechsler, and Jeremy Piven. The film received a positive reception from audiences, earning an 86 percent rating on the Popcorn meter.

"Bizarre Film"

The first trailer of Primitive War garnered over a million views within 24 hours. "The responses have been great so far," said director Sparke. "I hope the VOD release brings the film to even more fans. It’s a bizarre film, but apparently one that many people want to see." To celebrate the VOD release, the new trailer has been released.

The name Nacho Vigalondo might not mean much to you, and that's a shame. He is the director of one of the most unique science fiction films of the last ten years: Colossal featuring Anne Hathaway and Jason Sudeikis.

Vigalondo debuted with the small-scale sci-fi film Timecrimes in 2007 and directed many short films and TV episodes afterwards. Colossal was Vigalondo's biggest production, but unfortunately, the film was not a financial success.

Story

Gloria (Hathaway) is a jobless party girl who leaves New York and returns to her hometown after being kicked out of her apartment by her boyfriend. When news reports emerge about a giant creature destroying Seoul, South Korea, Gloria realizes that somehow she is connected to this distant phenomenon.

As events spiral out of control, she must figure out why her seemingly insignificant existence has such an enormous impact on the fate of the world.

Unique Combination

The film has been described as a cross between Godzilla and Lost in Translation, a very unique blend of genres. Anne Hathaway found herself in a sort of creative no-man's-land. She was searching for something completely original to challenge her artistically. The script of Colossal turned out to be exactly what she was looking for.

The film ultimately received a production budget of 15 million dollars. Top actors such as Jason Sudeikis (Ted Lasso), Dan Stevens (Beauty and the Beast), and Tim Blake Nelson (O Brother, Where Art Thou?) also joined the cast. Unfortunately, Colossal did not resonate with the general audience and only grossed 4 million dollars at the box office. This made the film a significant flop, which is quite unfortunate.

Very Proud

"I think 'Colossal' might be the most unique project I've ever worked on. Not everyone understood what we were trying to do, but that makes it all the more valuable for me," told Hathaway, very proud of the end result. "I don't always measure success in box office numbers. For me, this was creatively liberating."

Neil Druckmann, the creator of the The Last of Us game series and co-creator of the HBO series, has confirmed that he will no longer be involved with the third season of the popular show. He has now provided further details.

Druckmann was heavily involved in the first two seasons as showrunner, writer, and executive producer. He has chosen to fully concentrate on his work at game developer Naughty Dog.

Focusing On A New Game

In a statement, Druckmann previously said: "I have made the difficult decision to step back from my creative involvement with The Last of Us on HBO." He believes completing season 2 was the right moment to refocus on his responsibilities as studio head and director at Naughty Dog.

One important project he aims to focus on is the new game Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. Additionally, there are indications that there may still be a third game in the The Last of Us franchise in the works, though confirmation is still pending.

Not A Final Goodbye

During an interview with Variety, Druckmann stated that balancing his role as showrunner with his duties at Naughty Dog was quite challenging. "It was quite difficult to keep so many balls in the air at the same time," he shared. In particular, directing episode 206 was reported to have been an intensive process for him.

Although he is stepping back from the day-to-day operations of the series, he will still remain involved behind the scenes. His role is now described as "very high level", overseeing fidelity to the source material. "My hope is that season 3 remains as true as season 1," Druckmann said. "I think that is the gold standard for adaptations, while I enjoy all the beautiful layers to the story that naturally come about."

The Future Of The Series

Craig Mazin, known for Chernobyl—one of the best HBO series ever made—will now serve as the sole showrunner. However, previous discussions indicate that Druckmann had already contributed ideas for the story arc of season 3 during the production of the previous season. This was likely necessary as season 2 ends on a massive cliffhanger.

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