Get ready for one of the wildest movie premises of the year! Daniel Kraus’ novel Whalefall is being adapted for the big screen. Today, we can confirm that the film has an official 2026 release date.
First Look: Josh Brolin Shirtless and Tattooed!
We’ve already got a tantalizing first look behind the scenes, thanks to an image shared by writer Daniel Kraus. It features Josh Brolin’s character, shirtless and covered in tattoos! And we are absolutely here for it.
A Star-Studded Cast Diving In
Beyond Brolin (Avengers: End Game), the film boasts a fantastic cast ready to plunge into this high-stakes survival story. Austin Abrams (Paper Towns) and Elisabeth Shue (The Boys) also star. Jane Levy (Evil Dead, Don’t Breathe), John Ortiz (Kong: Skull Island), and Emily Rudd (Fear Street Part Two: 1978) round out the cast.
A Story of Survival
This aquatic survival thriller sounds like it’s going to be an absolute nail-biter! Brian Duffield (No One Will Save You) is in the director’s chair, working from a script he co-wrote with Daniel Kraus, based on Kraus’s own 2023 novel.
The film centers on a scuba diver searching for his deceased father’s remains. He suddenly gets swallowed by an 80-foot, 60-ton sperm whale! But if that’s not terrifying enough, he has only one hour to escape before his oxygen runs out. After nearly giving up on life, the man is shocked to discover a surprising reason to live in the most unlikely and dangerous of places.
Kraus wrote in his newsletter, “Early, all of my books have been optioned at some point, but very few get shot, and I wouldn’t have necessarily bet on the book that’s mostly set inside a whale would be the one to get there — and attract so much talent. Not only Brolin, but Austin Abrams (playing Jay), who I’ve gotten to know as a good dude who is super-super-super serious about this role.”
Whalefall Set To Surface in 2026
Whalefall is from Imagine Entertainment and 20th Century Studios, so you know it’s going to be a gripping experience. The film promises to be a unique and claustrophobic thrill ride that you won’t want to miss. It surfaces in theaters on October 16, 2026!
