The rustling in the bushes may not always be an illusion. Beast, a Halloween treat for fans of monster feature thrillers, may now be viewed online. Joining the likes of Peacock-exclusive films like Jurassic World: Dominion, Minions: The Rise of Gru, Vengeance, Brian and Charles, The Black Phone, The Bad Guys, Downton Abbey: A New Era, and The Northman is the upcoming film Beast. Actor Idris Elba explained the film’s title and the lion’s characterization as a “beast” in an interview with Syfy as attempts to “evoke something in the audience. But when you watch the film, it’s a bit more than that.” Elba went on to say that the title of the film represents the question of whether the beast or humanity is the true antagonist. Similarly, director Baltasar Kormákur (Everest, 2 Guns, and Contraband) stated his intention to “attempt to make it [the movie] a more deep and intense experience” in the same interview.
Elba (The Suicide Squad) plays Dr Nate Daniels, a widower, in Beast, which is based on a tale by Jaime Primak Sullivan. Together with his two children, Meredith (Iyana Halley, “The Hate U Give”) and Norah, he goes to South Africa, where he and his wife first crossed paths (Leah Sava Jeffries, Empire). Family friend and wildlife biologist Martin Battles manage a game reserve for the Robinsons’ visit (Sharlto Copley, Russian Doll).
The vacation was supposed to be a time for the family to come together and recover after the death of a loved one, but instead, it turns into a nightmare as a lion who was once the target of poachers turns into the apex predator and pursues the family. Kormákur’s tinkering with the peaceful, quiet periods, juxtaposed with the frenzied and rushed attacks is a shock of energy that mainly works throughout,” wrote Ross Bonaime upon the film’s release to mixed reviews. Ryan Engle wrote the script, while Kormákur, Will Packer, and James Lopez produced the film, with Sullivan and Bernard Bellew serving as executive producers. The streaming premiere of Beast on Peacock is set for October 7. On October 11, it will be released on Blu-ray and DVD, and on the same day, it will be accessible digitally.