Vancouver actor Samantha Coughlan faces a killer hippo in the new horror film Hungry, directed by James Nunn. The movie, which hits video on demand on June 23, 2026, follows a group of tourists whose day trip in the Louisiana bayou turns into a brutal fight for survival against a highly territorial and aggressive hippo. Hippos are among nature's deadliest mammals, responsible for hundreds of human deaths annually in Africa.
Plot and Setting
In Hungry, a small tour group ventures into the bayou, only to encounter a massive hippo the size of a Volkswagen van. The film's character Walker, played by Joaquim de Almeida, warns the group early on: "The only cute hippo is a dead hippo." This foreshadowing proves grimly accurate as the hippo attacks with relentless ferocity. The bayou setting was recreated on a soundstage in Malta, where the production built an expansive swamp set that impressed the cast.
Real-Life Inspiration
The premise of hippos in the Louisiana bayou is rooted in a bizarre historical proposal. In the early 20th century, a U.S. congressional plan sought to import African hippos to eat invasive water hyacinths and provide a low-cost meat source, dubbed "lake cow bacon." President Theodore Roosevelt supported the idea. Coughlan noted she was unaware of this true story until filming the scene where de Almeida's character explains it. "I remember on the day I was like, 'is that real?' And they're like, yeah, it's real," she said.
Cast and Performances
Samantha Coughlan plays Sally, a middle-aged woman on the excursion with her father and teenage son, portrayed by Vancouver's River Codack. Coughlan praised the set in Malta, describing it as "so freaking cool. It felt like we were on the bayou. It was hot, it was sticky, it was huge." The hippo itself is a combination of animatronics and CGI, operated by divers in the water. Coughlan recalled meeting the animatronic head, named Nancy, on the first day of shooting.
Behind the Scenes
Coughlan, a Vancouver native, returned to her hometown in 2020 after nearly two decades working in theatre in England. She co-founded a theatre company in London and performed in productions like Death of a Salesman with Brian Dennehy, as well as understudying for Elizabeth Moss, Keira Knightley, and Alicia Witt. Her film credits include The Gorge (with Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy), Arcadian (with Nicolas Cage), and Damaged (with Samuel L. Jackson). She is also a prolific voice-over artist in film, gaming, animation, and commercials.
Release and Reception
Hungry is available on VOD starting June 23, 2026. The film has drawn comparisons to Jaws for its suspenseful underwater attacks, as the hippo disappears into murky waters, leaving viewers wondering where it will surface next. Coughlan also appears in Nunn's upcoming feature One Last Shot.
