Ethan Pettus’ Sci-Fi Military Novel Series, ‘Primitive War, In Development as Sci-Fi Horror Feature

What happens when you add dinosaurs to the Vietnam War? Find out with Luke Sparke’s (Occupation: Rainfall 2021 – our review) upcoming film, Primitive War, based on the graphic novel by Ethan Pettus.

From the press release:

Sparke Films has secured the rights to Primitive War: Opiate Undertow, the debut novel by Ethan Pettus. The science fiction horror film, tentatively titled Primitive War after Pettus’ ongoing series, is in active development with offers out to first-choice cast and plans to film in 2022. Primitive War will explore the tragedies and atrocities of the Vietnam War and the horror of man meeting the ultimate Apex predators: dinosaurs.

Written by Luke Sparke (the Occupation franchise), Primitive War is a historical sci-fi military horror film, based on Pettus’ fan favorite ongoing series comprised of Primitive War: Opiate Undertow, Primitive War II: Animus Infernal, and the eagerly awaited third installment, Primitive War III: Aeon Ouroboros.

Primitive War is the latest project for writer and director Luke Sparke. Carly Imrie, Zachary Garred and Carmel Imrie will produce, reteaming from Occupation: Rainfall. The sequel to Occupation, Occupation: Rainfall continues following a group of survivors in Sydney fighting a desperate war two years after an extraterrestrial invasion. Released in the United States by Saban Films, Occupation: Rainfall has consistently topped the charts on Netflix, iTunes and HBOMax. The New York Times recently heralded that “Sparke’s action flick includes references to Starship Troopers, Crimson Tide and Independence Day, and features large, epic set pieces. The opening battle, worth the watch in itself, is set in a fiery, ravaged Sydney, and sees aerial dog fights, chaotic gun battles and a killer comet.”  Sequels are in active development.

As his first novel prepares to become a film, Ethan Pettus shared, “It’s a dream come true. Primitive War is a story that’s larger than life, and I think Luke and his team can make it into a cinematic masterpiece.”

Vietnam. 1968. A search and rescue team known as Vulture Squad is sent to an isolated jungle valley to uncover the fate of a missing Green Beret platoon. As they hunt through the primordial depths of the valley and the casualties mount, the men of Vulture Squad must abandon their human nature and give in to their savage instincts in order to survive the horrors they face.

In between revising the script and meeting with actors, Sparke said, “Dinosaurs in the Vietnam war? What’s not to love about that concept?! When I first heard about the books, I loved the ideas and concepts Ethan brought into them, and we’re shaping our film version into an exciting survival-horror film.”