Starring: Boyd Holbrook, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Joe Taslim
Directed by: Corin Hardy
Genre: Action | Survival Thriller | Horror
Release Date: October 2025
Production: Lionsgate | Blumhouse Productions

🐾 “They thought the forest was safe. Until it screamed back.”

Hunter of Hyena dives deep into the savage wilderness of East Africa—where legends of supernatural predators may be more than just stories. Blending tense survival action with tribal folklore, the film teeters on the edge of the supernatural and the terrifyingly real.

🌍 PLOT OVERVIEW

Ex-special forces tracker Elias Rourke (Boyd Holbrook) is called to a remote wildlife reserve in Kenya after a series of brutal killings leave entire search parties missing. Locals whisper of “The Nyanga Mbwa”—a mythical alpha hyena said to haunt the dark valleys of the Rift.

Elias is joined by Dr. Sera Omondi (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), a wildlife behavioral scientist, and Rafiq (Joe Taslim), a former poacher turned anti-trafficking ranger. What begins as a search for rogue animals becomes a fight for survival as they uncover mutilated remains, haunting cave carvings, and the chilling reality of genetically altered predators bred for black-market blood sports.

What’s worse: the alpha is hunting them back.

🎥 TRAILER HIGHLIGHTS

• Opening Shot: A sweeping aerial view of savannah grasslands, serene… until the camera dives into the thick, shadowy bush where something watches.

• Attack Montage: A night vision camera captures a hyena running on two legs; rapid flashes show claw marks on armored trucks and torn satellite footage.

• Sera’s Voiceover: “This isn’t evolution. It’s weaponization.”

• The Reveal: In a standoff scene, Elias faces the hybrid beast, silhouetted in moonlight, growling with unnatural intelligence.

🔍 KEY THEMES

• Human vs Nature: The film explores the consequences of exploiting wildlife for profit.

• Folklore vs Science: As superstition and genetic engineering collide, the audience is left to question what’s real.

• Predator Psychology: The hyena isn’t just a beast—it’s calculated, intelligent, and vengeful.

🩸 A CREATURE FEATURE WITH BITE

With practical creature effects from WETA Workshop and minimal CGI, Hunter of Hyena promises grounded horror over flashy spectacle. The sound design alone—hyena cackles layered with distorted human screams—will haunt theaters.

The tone is reminiscent of The Ghost and the Darkness meets Predator, with a modern, eco-thriller edge.

💬 FINAL VERDICT

Brutal, atmospheric, and unnervingly primal, Hunter of Hyena is poised to become a cult favorite among horror survival fans. It’s not just a hunt. It’s a reckoning.

Tagline:
🩸 “In the land of predators, the true monster has many faces.”