13 Deadly Animal Films That Featured Real Animals

      These lethal animal films aimed for realism — often resulting in frightening outcomes.

      However, there were times when they appeared entertaining and even ridiculous.

      Let's dive in.

      **Snakes on a Plane (2006)**

      A snake and Samantha McLeod in Snakes on a Plane. New Line Cinema. – Credit: New Line Cinema

      Snakes on a Plane became an internet phenomenon before its release, telling the tale of a crime lord who orchestrates the release of numerous venomous snakes on a flight over the Pacific to eliminate a witness prior to his testimony.

      Alongside impressive CGI, Snakes on a Plane featured over 450 snakes from 30 different species. They shared the screen with a lively cast that included Samuel L. Jackson, Julianna Margulies, Bobby Cannavale, and Kenan Thompson.

      It's considered one of the most entertaining modern animal attack films.

      **Orca (1977)**

      From the trailer for Orca. Paramount – Credit: C/O

      The trailer for Orca emphasizes that orcas are, in many ways, remarkable yet deadly creatures: “In some ways, the orca’s intelligence may be even greater than humanity’s,” says a smooth voiceover. “They remain devoted to one partner for life. As parents, they are exemplary — surpassing many human beings.”

      The filmmakers likely developed a fondness for orcas by collaborating with actual ones: Orca featured orcas trained at Marineland of the Pacific and Marine World Africa, although some doubles were also used.

      Naturally, the mention of orcas’ familial loyalty served as clever foreshadowing: The film revolves around an orca seeking revenge on a human (Richard Harris) after that human kills his pregnant mate.

      Orca was among many animal attack films quickly produced following the massive success of Jaws in 1975 — and so was the next film on our list.

      **Grizzly (1976)**

      Credit: C/O

      Grizzly's thrilling trailer informed moviegoers that the deadly animal in question is “over 18 feet tall, over 2,000 pounds — the largest carnivorous ground beast on the planet.” In reality, a typical grizzly doesn't reach those sizes, and the Kodiak bear named Teddy, who portrayed the grizzly in Grizzly, stood at only 11 feet tall.

      Teddy was kept at a safe distance from the cast and crew, and since he was more docile than the bear he portrayed, the production team used food to encourage him to open his mouth. The roars were then added during post-production.

      Occasionally, a fake bear claw was used for close-up shots.

      **Night of the Lepus (1972)**

      MGM – Credit: C/O

      If there were an award for the least frightening deadly animal movie, it would likely go to the sci-fi cult favorite Night of the Lepus, revolving around a town plagued by… enormous killer rabbits. After a surge in the rabbit population, scientists make the ill-advised choice to use hormones to control their breeding, inadvertently making the rabbits larger, stronger, and more dangerous.

      The effect of the killer bunnies was achieved by filming (often very cute and tame) rabbits in miniature settings, sometimes with ketchup on their faces to simulate blood. There were also individuals dressed in rabbit costumes.

      The cast was solid, featuring Star Trek alumnus DeForest Kelley and Psycho actress Janet Leigh. However, Leigh later remarked to Starlog:

      “How do you make a bunny rabbit threatening?”

      The Night of the Lepus “monsters” hold a notable position on our list of Ridiculous Horror Movie Villains Who Aren’t Really That Menacing.

      **The Edge (1997)**

      Bart the Bear in The Edge. Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation – Credit: C/O

      The Edge is a wilderness survival tale featuring actors Anthony Hopkins, Alec Baldwin, Harold Perrineau, and one of cinema's biggest animal stars: Bart the Bear, who also received acclaim for his roles in The Bear, White Fang, and Legends of the Fall.

      Standing nearly 10 feet tall and weighing 1,500 pounds, Bart excelled in The Edge, which Los Angeles Times film critic Kenneth Turan described as “the pinnacle of a distinguished career” and “a landmark in bear acting.”

      Both Baldwin and Hopkins expressed great admiration for Bart during interviews, noting that his gentle demeanor was in stark contrast to the ferocity of the animal he portrayed onscreen.

      The Edge marked one of his final roles before his passing from cancer in 2000 at the age of 23.

      **The Ghost and the Darkness (1996)**

      The Ghost and the Darkness. Paramount Pictures. – Credit: C/O

      The Ghost and the Darkness is a dramatized account of actual lion attacks that occurred in 1898, as the British government worked to construct a railway bridge across Kenya’s Tsavo River. The lions became known as the Ghost and the Darkness