A spotlight is finally being cast on the often-overlooked hippopotamus, now set to make its cinematic debut through an upcoming survival thriller introduced at the American Film Market.
The film, titled “Hungry,” is a tense adventure that follows a group of tourists who find themselves at the mercy of a ravenous hippo. Signature Entertainment, handling the film’s sales, has enlisted James Nunn, known for his work on the “One Shot” action series, as the director. Filming has started in Malta, with Nunn also taking on screenwriting duties.
Production is led by Signature’s Ben Jacques, known for projects like “One More Shot” and “The Hatton Garden Job,” while Signature’s CEO Marc Goldberg and production lead Sarah Gabriel (“Riff Raff,” “The Estate”) are executive producers.
In “Hungry,” tourists lost in the swamps of Louisiana are thrust into a terrifying fight for survival as they are pursued by a rampaging hippo. As part of the project announcement, Signature has secured distribution deals across several regions.
Key partners include Acontracorriente in Spain, CDC in Latin America, Phoenicia in the Middle East, Daro for Eastern Europe, Garsu Pasaulio Irasai in the Baltics, and Shoval in Israel. Other territories include India (Lionsgate Play), Malaysia and Singapore (Suraya), Thailand (Sahamongkol), the Philippines (Pioneer), Turkey (Tanweer), Mongolia (FilmBridge), and the CIS region (Exponenta).
The film’s creative team includes MUFX designer Dan Martin, celebrated for his work on “The Banshees of Inisherin,” “Possessor,” and “Infinity Pool.” Also joining is Magic Dust VFX, known for high-profile projects like “True Detective: Night Country” and “One Piece,” both tasked with crafting the hippo’s visual elements.
Nunn’s directing experience includes the “One Shot” series, with its latest entry, “One More Shot,” set for a 2024 release, as well as his previous aquatic thriller, “Shark Bait” (2022).