Lou Ferrigno Turns Cannibal in Backwoods Horror ‘The Hermit’

Lou Ferrigno is returning to creature-led genre filmmaking with The Hermit, a backwoods horror thriller that marks the actor’s first true horror role and his first creature performance since his time as Bruce Banner’s alter ego in The Incredible Hulk. The film is set for a Digital and On Demand release on March 3 through Uncork’d Entertainment, following a Los Angeles premiere on March 2.

Directed by Salvatore Sclafani, The Hermit places Ferrigno at the centre of a grimly eccentric story that blends survival horror with a deliberately offbeat edge. He plays a reclusive pig farmer whose rural isolation conceals a far darker trade, producing jerky made from human flesh. The character represents a sharp departure from the heroic and mythic figures that have defined much of Ferrigno’s screen legacy, positioning him instead as a physical and psychological threat.

The film co-stars Malina Weissman and Anthony Turpel as teenagers Lisa and Eric, whose reluctant woodland getaway descends into violence when they encounter Ferrigno’s murderous hermit. Both actors bring recognisable genre credentials, with Weissman known for A Series of Unfortunate Events and Turpel for Love, Victor, helping to anchor the film’s younger perspective amid escalating danger.

Ferrigno has described the project as a personal milestone, stating that The Hermit represents his first foray into outright horror cinema. His involvement also taps into longstanding fan interest in seeing the actor revisit physically imposing roles, albeit through a far more disturbing lens than his earlier work.

Behind the camera, Sclafani makes his English-language feature debut as a director, having previously produced the 2019 thriller Tyger Tiger. The film is produced by Gerry Pass of Chrome Entertainment alongside Sclafani’s First Child Prods, continuing Uncork’d Entertainment’s focus on compact, provocative genre releases aimed at the home viewing market.

Uncork’d president Keith Leopard has highlighted Ferrigno’s performance as a key draw, describing the film as dark, action-driven and deliberately confrontational in tone. While The Hermit leans into exploitation-era horror tropes, its casting and creative approach suggest a conscious attempt to balance shock value with character-led tension.

The film will be widely available to rent or buy across digital platforms from early March. Watch the trailer below.

The Hermit trailer