‘Hungry’ to Make a Beastly Splash at Tubi FrightFest

Forget sharks, crocodiles and giant snakes – Hungry is betting that one of nature’s most dangerous animals has been overlooked for far too long. James Nunn’s survival thriller will make its English premiere at Tubi FrightFest on 28 August, where festival audiences will discover why a furious hippopotamus might be the most terrifying creature ever to emerge from the Louisiana bayou.

Screening at 10.55pm on Friday, 28 August, Hungry transports viewers to the swamplands of Louisiana, where what begins as a routine sightseeing excursion quickly descends into a desperate fight for survival. A group of tourists boards Gator Joe’s airboat tour hoping for a close encounter with the legendary alligator known as Big Ben. Instead, they stray into territory occupied by something far deadlier.

Drawing inspiration from the real historical proposal to introduce hippopotamuses into the American South as an alternative food source during the early 20th century, the film imagines one survivor of that long-forgotten experiment still lurking beneath the murky waters. As the stranded visitors realise they have wandered into its domain, escaping the bayou becomes a race against one of the world’s most powerful and territorial animals.

Madison Davenport leads the cast as Sistine, joined by Tracey Bonner, Joaquim de Almeida, Michel Curiel, Samantha Coughlan, Olivia Bernstone, Jim Meskimen and River Codack. While Davenport’s character becomes the emotional centre of the story, the supporting cast finds themselves picked off as the relentless predator closes in.

Written and directed by James Nunn, whose previous credits include One Shot and One More Shot, the film combines creature feature thrills with survival horror rooted in a surprisingly plausible premise. Hippopotamuses are often overshadowed in cinema by more familiar movie monsters, yet in reality they are responsible for hundreds of human fatalities each year. That unsettling fact gives Hungry an unusual foundation, even before the film introduces its century-old secret hiding within the swamps.

The production also favours practical craftsmanship wherever possible. Creature effects were created by Dan Martin’s 13 Finger FX, whose previous work includes The Banshees of Inisherin, helping bring the enormous animal to life through practical techniques alongside visual effects.

Produced by Ben Jacques, the film is the latest collaboration from filmmakers who previously worked together on the One Shot action series.

Following its FrightFest screening, Hungry will reach a wider audience as a Sky Original, giving those unable to attend the festival an opportunity to catch the creature feature shortly afterwards.

Hungry receives its English premiere at Tubi FrightFest on Friday, 28 August 2026 at 10.55pm. The film will then debut as a Sky Original on Sky Cinema from 4 September 2026.

Hungry trailer