Lionsgate’s giant snake horror film ‘Beware Boiúna’ opened in U.S. theaters on October 2, 2026, to a domestic gross of just $550,000 across more than 1,100 screens. The film, directed by Mike P. Nelson and starring Kiana Madeira and Jessica Rothe, landed at number 14 on the domestic charts with a per-screen average of $490.
The opening weekend result places the R-rated creature feature far outside the top ten, overshadowed by competing wide releases including Colleen Hoover’s ‘Verity’ and Tom Cruise’s ‘Digger.’ The film was produced by Constantin Film and JB Pictures in association with North.Five.Six, with Jeremy Bolt and Robert Kulzer serving as producers.
Box Office and Reception
‘Beware Boiúna’ carries an R rating for bloody violent content, some grisly images, and language, with a runtime of 104 minutes. The film premiered at Fantastic Fest on September 17, 2026, as the festival’s opening night selection before its theatrical release.
Critics have been divided on the film. On Rotten Tomatoes, ‘Beware Boiúna’ holds a 56% approval rating from critics based on 34 reviews, marking director Mike P. Nelson’s first Rotten score after an eight-year streak of Fresh ratings. The audience score on the same platform stands at 70%. On Metacritic, the film has a score of 49 out of 100 based on eight reviews.
Dread Central’s review called ‘Beware Boiúna’ the meanest, bloodiest, and scariest giant snake film to ever slither onto screens. Slant Magazine praised the film for being surprisingly attuned to the rhythms of its Amazon setting. The Austin Chronicle, however, described it as a low-budget Anaconda riff so derivative and ramshackle that its antagonist should grow legs just so it could slink away in shame faster.
Cast and Characters
Kiana Madeira, known for the Fear Street franchise, plays Lena, a Colombian-Brazilian deckhand searching for her lost brother in the jungle. Jessica Rothe, from the Happy Death Day series, portrays Alli, a medical student traveling with a humanitarian mission. Logan Marshall-Green stars as Brennan Malloy, the leader of a group of foresters who clash with the medical team.
The cast also includes Jackson Bews, Juan Pablo Shuk, Vicente Peña, Will Close, and Sergio Herrera. The screenplay was written by Alan McElroy from a story by Tony Giglio and Alan McElroy.
Rothe told UPI that she and Madeira embraced the Scream Queen label. ‘Scream Queen sees Scream Queen,’ Rothe said. ‘We’re not afraid to get dirty. We’re not afraid to get messy. We’re not afraid to get ugly. I think that kind of go get ’em nature is one of my favorite things to find in a scene partner.’
Madeira told ComingSoon that filming the quicksand scene was challenging despite being fun. ‘I really wanted to make sure that the movements were believable and that anytime you even move an inch, you sink deeper,’ she said.
Production and Director’s Vision
‘Beware Boiúna’ was filmed on location in the Colombian Amazon, primarily in the towns of Leticia and Girardot. The production received permission and a blessing ceremony from local indigenous elders before shooting near their land.
Director Mike P. Nelson told Polygon that he pushed back when the studio considered shooting elsewhere. ‘The movie takes place in the Amazon. We should shoot there,’ he said. Rothe told UPI that being on location brought authenticity to the performances. ‘Every single thing our characters were experiencing, we were also experiencing,’ she said.
Nelson told ComingSoon that his goal was to make a grounded creature feature. ‘We definitely have a giant snake in this movie, but I don’t want it to be a giant snake movie. I want it to be a great movie with a giant snake in it,’ he said. In a separate interview with Rue Morgue, Nelson said he intentionally avoided watching Anaconda before production. ‘You are gonna watch Jurassic Park. You are gonna watch Jaws. You are gonna watch Alien. You are gonna watch Tremors,’ he said.
The film draws from Brazilian folklore about the Boiúna, a mythical black serpent said to dwell in deep waters and protect the Amazon. Nelson removed the shapeshifting element from the traditional myth to create a more grounded predator.
Current Status
‘Beware Boiúna’ remains in theaters following its October 2 domestic release. International rollouts include a release in the United Arab Emirates on October 8 and additional territories in the coming weeks.