Stars Kiana Madeira and Jessica Rothe joined director Mike P. Nelson in Austin as Lionsgate introduced its Amazon-set survival horror film ahead of its October 2 theatrical release.
Beware Boiúna made its world premiere on September 17 during the opening night of Fantastic Fest 2026 at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar in Austin, Texas.
According to event materials provided by Lionsgate, stars Kiana Madeira and Jessica Rothe attended the red carpet alongside director Mike P. Nelson. The premiere marked the first public presentation of the survival-horror film, which is scheduled to open in U.S. theaters on October 2.
The evening’s presentation extended beyond the screen. Guests entered the theater through an installation designed as the mouth of a giant serpent, introducing audiences to the threatening world of Boiúna before the screening began.
Members of the film’s creative and production teams also attended, including executive producers Juan Pablo Solano and Simón Beltrán, story co-writer Tony Giglio, director of photography Nick Junkersfeld, composer Stephen Lukach, production designer Angélica Perea and editor Tom Elkins.
Following the screening, the cast and filmmakers participated in a question-and-answer session moderated by Annick Mahnert, Fantastic Fest’s director of programming.
Terror in the Amazon
Set deep in the Amazon, Beware Boiúna follows a medical mission that descends into a fight for survival after its members encounter Boiúna, an enormous ancient predator determined to reclaim its territory.
Rather than treating the jungle as a simple backdrop, the film positions the natural environment as a force with its own power. The story combines creature horror, suspense and survival filmmaking as the mission’s members confront a threat capable of deciding who escapes – and who does not.
Madeira and Rothe lead the cast alongside Logan Marshall-Green. Nelson directed the film from a screenplay by Alan McElroy, based on a story by McElroy and Giglio. Jeremy Bolt and Robert Kulzer served as producers.
The film has a running time of 104 minutes.
Fantastic Fest 2026
The premiere opened the 2026 edition of Fantastic Fest, which runs from September 17 through September 24 in Austin. The festival presents genre cinema, international premieres and special events at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar. Fantastic Fest’s official website describes the program as eight days of screenings, premieres and guest appearances.
Beware Boiúna arrives exclusively in U.S. theaters on October 2, 2026. The release date is also confirmed in Lionsgate’s official promotional materials.
Film Details
- Title: Beware Boiúna
- Director: Mike P. Nelson
- Screenplay: Alan McElroy
- Story: Tony Giglio and Alan McElroy
- Producers: Jeremy Bolt and Robert Kulzer
- Cast: Kiana Madeira, Jessica Rothe and Logan Marshall-Green
- Genre: Suspense and horror
- Running time: 104 minutes
- U.S. theatrical release: October 2, 2026
This article is based on official press materials supplied by Lionsgate and information published by Fantastic Fest. It is event coverage, not a film review.
