Violent Night Director's Shark Movie Lands at Netflix
Tommy Wirkola's predator thriller featuring Phoebe Dynevor and Djimon Hounsou switches from theatrical release to streaming platform after Sony deal falls through.
Sony Pictures just handed over Tommy Wirkola's shark thriller to Netflix after pulling it from theaters. The Violent Night director's latest project was supposed to hit cinemas July 3, 2026. That's not happening anymore.
Adam McKay and Kevin Messick's HyperObject Industries brokered the streaming deal. McKay sounds thrilled about reuniting with Netflix. "We couldn't be more excited to be back in business with all our friends at Netflix on this film. We had a great experience together on Don't Look Up and look forward to working with them to make this an event streaming release in 2026."
Star-Studded Cast Faces Ocean Predators
Bridgerton's Phoebe Dynevor leads the cast alongside Gladiator veteran Djimon Hounsou. Whitney Peak from The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping rounds out the main trio. All three will battle oceanic killers in ways we can only guess at right now.
Plot details remain locked down tight. The project bounced between working titles like Shiver and Beneath the Storm before settling on its current unnamed status. Wirkola brings serious action credentials from his blood-soaked Christmas movie starring David Harbour as a fighting Santa Claus.
Shark Movies Dominate 2026 Waters
This year belongs to shark cinema. Renny Harlin returns to predator territory with Deep Water on May 1. The Deep Blue Sea director assembled Aaron Eckhart, Kelly Gale, Ben Kingsley, Madeleine West, and Angus Sampson for another aquatic nightmare.
Deep Water follows international passengers flying from Los Angeles to Shanghai. Their emergency ocean landing puts them right in shark-infested waters. "A group of international passengers en route from Los Angeles to Shanghai are forced to make an emergency landing in shark-infested waters. Now they must work together in hopes to overcome the frenzy of sharks drawn to the wreckage."
Harlin's 1999 Deep Blue Sea created a cult following with genetically enhanced mako sharks hunting scientists in flooded lab corridors. Thomas Jane, Stellan Skarsgård, Samuel L. Jackson, and Saffron Burrows fought super-intelligent predators while searching for an Alzheimer's cure. Jane even pushed for a different ending through fan petitions in 2023.