Ithaqua

At the moment the Hammer resurgence seems to be more about exploiting their back catalogue and releasing high-quality collections. On the film front there seems to be some caution which is understandable. Ithaqua is Hammer’s return to cinema releases.

Set in Canada in the 1800’s a mixed community at Fort William are struggling. The fur trade has stalled and there is precious little food around. Into this, the Fort’s leaders have hired American mercenary Cole (Luke Hemsworth) for both protection and to take advantage his trapping skills.

With no real option a hunting party is put together and starts out of the fort. One other matter that is preying on their minds is that the First Nation tribes have all but disappeared. However, they come across a deserted camp piled with bodies. That not being enough, one of their party Hendry (Aaron Poole) is transformed into a blood lusting creature.
Directed by Casey Walker co-written with Pascal Trottier and Peter Scott Vicaire, Ithaqua is going to look very familiar to those who know the likes of Ravenous and work out quite quickly what is afoot.

What is also here is the time-honoured psychopathic British officer Lt. Walker (Kevin Durand), and the obnoxious, deranged McKellar (Michael Pitt) as the company man who isn’t going to let anything go and has plans of his own anyway.

More interesting are the indigenous people. Cole’s wife Ahnung (Leena Robinson) and her grandmother Nokomis (Pamela Matthews) know that they are dealing with a powerful ancient supernatural entity, and its unforgiving. This becomes more relevant as the film goes on and the characters are fleshed out. As well as its own physical presence it has the ability to infect so that a good proportion of the fort are soon ready to sate their hunger. In one of the major scenes of the film.

The snowy landscapes of mountain and forest, be it day or night, is used brilliantly by Walker as he raises tension between the fort’s inhabitants and for the viewer. And he doesn’t hold back on the bloodletting either.

Ithaqua had its world premiere at Tubi FrightFest London 2026.