Primitive War, directed by Luke Sparke, arrives in theaters on August 21st. The film, based on the sci-fi novel by Ethan Pettus, was written for the screen by Sparke and stars Ryan Kwanten, Tricia Helfer, Nick Wechsler, and Jeremy Piven.
The movie’s synopsis is as follows: In 1968 Vietnam, the “Vulture Squad” search and rescue team is sent into a secluded jungle valley to find a missing Green Beret platoon. They soon discover that they are not alone. Dinosaurs have been unleashed upon them! As the number of casualties rises, Vulture Squad must embrace their primal instincts to survive.
The cast and crew of Primitive War held a panel at San Diego Comic-Con to discuss the film.
Tricia Helfer Interview
Interview with “Primitive War” Star Tricia Helfer
Tricia Helfer describes her experience getting the role just a week before filming, calling the period a “blur” of travel and preparation. Despite the film being a “smaller budget, indie film,” she saw the dedication and detail that went into the costumes and equipment. She reveals that her character is Sophia Wagner, a paleontologist. Helfer explains that Sophia has been isolated in the jungle after going through a heavy trauma of her own. Eventually, she comes across the Vulture Squad. She notes that while the team needed her help, she also needed theirs. Helfer confirms that the movie deals with heavier themes related to the Vietnam War. Her character and the soldiers have all gone through various traumas.
Q: Tricia, you’re diving into going against dinosaurs, which is awesome, and doing it here at Comic-Con. How was that for you?
Tricia Helfer: It was incredible. I got the job about a week before I had to travel. It was a blur of prepping, doing my research, learning my lines, and learning my accent. When I got there, I was a little nervous because it’s a smaller-budget indie film tackling this. But once I saw the dedication and detail they had with the costumes and equipment, I felt a lot more relieved.
What Audiences Can Look Forward to When Meeting the Characters On-Screen
Q: The trailer looks great, and the new one gets to see a bit more of you. What can you tell us about your character in this?
Tricia Helfer: I play Sophia Wagner. My character has recently gone through some pretty heavy trauma of her own. She’s a paleontologist who has been isolated and surviving alone out in the jungle with dinosaurs. She comes across this Vulture Squad. Ultimately, she needed their help, and it turns out they needed her help, too. She becomes part of the team in their quest to not only survive but also to try and fix a potential problem.
Q: This movie deals with Vietnam, which has heavier themes than just dealing with dinosaurs. How did that play into the movie?
Tricia Helfer: The characters have gone through a lot of pretty exceptional and dangerous situations, so each of them is handling their own kind of trauma. There’s substance abuse and suicidal tendencies. We had a military advisor on set, and Luke made sure we could be as real as possible and as honorable and respectful as we can. Luke really wanted to make sure that it was grounded and respectful. Then, once you had that base, you could have fun with the dinosaurs.
Primitive War arrives in theaters on August 21, 2025.
