🎯Hunting Season (2025) — Mel Gibson Returns in a Ruthless Action Thriller

“Some hunts never end — they only change their prey.”

Brace yourself for a gripping ride through vengeance, fear, and survival. Mel Gibson is back in full force with Hunting Season (2025) — a brutal, high-stakes action thriller hitting theaters and digital on December 5, 2025. Directed by RJ Collins, this edge-of-your-seat film dives deep into the primal instincts of a father, the innocence of a child, and the deadly consequences of crossing the wrong man.

🔥 A Survival Thriller with a Heart — and a Body Count

Set in the quiet isolation of the American wilderness, Hunting Season opens with a haunting discovery: a mysterious young woman (Shelley Hennig) washes up on the banks of a remote river, half-dead and carrying secrets worth killing for.

She’s found by a feisty 12-year-old girl (Sofia Hublitz) and her father, a reclusive survivalist played by Mel Gibson, whose peaceful life is instantly shattered. When a ruthless drug lord and his heavily armed crew come hunting for the stranger, the father and daughter must fight tooth and nail to survive — and uncover the truth behind the woman’s past.

“You don’t find trouble this deep in the woods… unless it’s already found you.”

What follows is a tense, relentless showdown of family versus fate, drenched in adrenaline, grit, and emotional weight.

💣 The Plot — Fear Comes Knocking

In the silence of the woods, danger arrives without warning.

After years of isolation, a father and daughter’s bond is tested when they offer shelter to a wounded stranger. But kindness quickly turns to chaos when they learn she’s being hunted by a powerful drug cartel.

With nowhere to run and no one to call, the trio must rely on instinct, courage, and sheer will to survive as night falls and the forest becomes a killing ground.

Expect brutal confrontations, smart survival tactics, and emotional gut-punches — Hunting Season blends the human drama of A Quiet Place with the tension and pace of Sicario.

🎥 Cast & Crew — The Power Behind the Mayhem

Main Cast

• Mel Gibson as Jack, a reclusive survivalist and fiercely protective father.

• Shelley Hennig as The Stranger, a mysterious woman with a deadly secret.

• Sofia Hublitz as Anna, the bold and brave daughter who refuses to be a victim.

Directed by: RJ Collins

Written by: Adam Hampton

Produced by: Eduard Osipov, Eric Brenner, Vince Jolivette, David McCalib Jr., Dan Katzman, Al Bravo, Luke Wyckoff

Distributed by: Samuel Goldwyn Films

Production Companies: Buffalo 8 Productions, Beno Films, BondIt Media Capital

Genre: Action / Mystery / Thriller

Runtime: 1h 33m

Release Date: December 5, 2025 (Limited + Digital)

🧨 Mel Gibson — A Return to Form

Mel Gibson, known for his gritty intensity in classics like Lethal Weapon, The Patriot, and Edge of Darkness, returns to what he does best — complex, battle-scarred men caught between morality and survival.

In Hunting Season, Gibson brings a raw, emotional gravity to Jack — a man haunted by loss, hardened by isolation, and forced to protect what’s left of his world when violence comes knocking.

It’s not just another action role — it’s a reminder of why Gibson remains one of Hollywood’s most commanding screen presences.

⚔️ What Makes Hunting Season Stand Out

⭐ A Modern Western Pulse – A stripped-down survival story echoing the danger and tension of classic frontier dramas.

⭐ Character-Driven Action – Every bullet fired has emotional weight, every wound tells a story.

⭐ Father-Daughter Bond – At its core, Hunting Season is about love, sacrifice, and what it takes to protect family.

⭐ Cinematic Grit – RJ Collins’ sharp direction turns the wilderness into both a refuge and a battlefield.

⭐ Mel Gibson’s Comeback Moment – A powerhouse performance that blends heart, rage, and redemption.

🎬 Behind the Scenes — The Making of a Modern Survival Epic

Director RJ Collins, in his feature breakthrough, crafts Hunting Season with a stripped-back style — minimal dialogue, maximum tension. Filmed across rugged terrain, the film uses natural light and tight spaces to emphasize realism.

Cinematography by Lyle Vincent captures every shiver and shadow, while the haunting score by Will Bates turns silence into suspense.

The result? A relentless, nerve-twisting thriller that feels as intimate as it is explosive.

⚡ Why Hunting Season (2025) Should Be on Your Watchlist

🎯 Release Date: December 5, 2025

📍 Where to Watch: In Theaters & On Digital

🎞️ Genre: Action / Thriller / Drama

🏹 Runtime: 1h 33m

💥 Lead Star: Mel Gibson in his most intense role in years

If you’re a fan of high-stakes survival stories like Taken, The Revenant, or Nobody, Hunting Season delivers everything — explosive action, emotional stakes, and a performance that hits harder than a shotgun blast.

🔥 Final Verdict — The Hunt Begins This December

Hunting Season (2025) is a taut, visceral thriller about survival, redemption, and the lengths a parent will go to protect their child. Mel Gibson commands the screen in one of his grittiest roles to date, backed by powerful direction and breathtaking tension from start to finish.

“In the wilderness, mercy is a luxury — and survival is the only law.”

🎬 HUNTING SEASON — in theaters and on digital December 5, 2025.