This week on Friday Night Frightfest, we’re going “ape” over a terrifyingly specific subgenre: super smart primate horror! We are looking at a classic piece of “scientific-experiment-gone-wrong” horror by comparing George A. Romero’s psychological thriller Monkey Shines (1988) with the highly anticipated, high-tech creature feature Primate (2026). Grab your bananas, but watch your back—these monkeys are smarter (and meaner) than you think!

Monkey Shines (1988)

Directed by the legendary George A. Romero, this film explores the terrifying bond between a man and his “helper.” After a tragic accident leaves athlete Allan Mann (Jason Beghe) paralyzed, he is given Ella, a highly intelligent capuchin monkey trained to assist him. However, Ella has been injected with experimental human brain tissue, creating a telepathic link between her and Allan. As Ella begins to act out Allan’s suppressed rage and darker impulses, the film spirals into a claustrophobic, psychological battle of wills. It’s a masterclass in building tension within a single location.

Primate (2026)

Directed by Johannes Roberts (47 Meters Down), this brand-new release takes the “killer monkey” trope and scales it up for a modern, terrifying cinematic experience. In Primate, a group of scientists at a remote research facility are hunted by a breakthrough species of genetically modified primates designed for “cognitive warfare.” Unlike the intimate scale of Monkey Shines, this 2026 thriller leans into high-octane survival horror, utilizing state-of-the-art practical effects and performance capture to create predators that are hauntingly human in their tactics.

Join us as we dissect the evolution of simian scares! How has our fear of animal intelligence changed over the decades, and which of these primates is the true “King of the Jungle”?

Spoilers start around 5:50.