Intro by Stephen Scarlata | Bluesky | Letterboxd | X | Podcast

Hey Horrorverse, I’m Stephen Scarlata, the director of Sharksploitation and co-host of the Best Movies Never Made podcast.

I’ve been a fan of shark movies for as long as I can remember, starting, of course, with Jaws. It didn't just make me a fan of the genre, but it cursed me into becoming a filmmaker.

Ever since I first saw it, I felt a desperate need to watch anything and everything with a shark in it. I was constantly chasing the dragon to replicate that pure Jaws adrenaline, but as many of you know, it’s a near impossible feat.

When I first started working on Sharksploitation, one of the very first things I did was open an Excel sheet to try and catalogue every single shark movie in existence. I stopped updating it a few years back once I hit shark movie #155. By my estimate, there must be well over 200 shark movies floating around out there by now.

So far, 2026 is turning out to be the year of aquatic survival horror, kicking off with films like Killer Whale, Thrash, Deep Water, and the upcoming The Bay and The Devil’s Mouth.

Now, you might be reading this and thinking, “Yo, you’re wrong. Aren’t all shark movies survival horror?” Well, yes and no. As we all know, Jaws jump-started the shark as a monster movie genre. There were films with sharks before 1975, of course, but Jaws cemented the formula that everyone copied for decades: a killer animal terrorizes a beach, a resort community, or a holiday weekend.

That trope dominated the '80s and carried all the way into the 2000s with Shark Attack 2, Shark Zone, Shark Swarm, Spring Break Shark Attack, and Syfy Channel-era titles like Toxic Shark.

But, a little indie movie called Open Water changed the game. It helped pave the way for a new subgenre, the minimalist, high-tension survival shark thriller. Suddenly, the focus shifted from a town being eaten to isolated individuals trapped in the elements. We later saw this template perfected by hits like The Reef, 47 Meters Down, and The Shallows.

Cut to today, and we are inundated with survival shark movies, mostly because they’re incredibly cost-effective to make. You don’t need to pay for a resort full of background extras anymore, you just need a few actors and open water. Look at releases from Frenzy, The Requin, Something in the Water, Maneater, or The Reef: Stalked. Even later this year, we have a really interesting aquatic survival title on the horizon, Whalefall.

But honestly, with all these stripped-down survival thrillers, I’m starting to miss the old days of a massive creature tearing up a crowded seaside community. We somewhat got it with The Meg movies, which slightly touched on that classic, chaotic energy, but I’d love to see more.

Brett Petersel | Bluesky | Instagram | Letterboxd & Sarah Stubbs | Bluesky | Instagram | Letterboxd | Website

With EVIL DEAD BURN scaring up audiences in theaters at this very moment, Fangoria shared the news that Fede Álvarez’s EVIL DEAD (2013) is getting the 4K Collector's Edition treatment on October 19th! This edition will include a 64-page booklet, new artwork, and bonus features including interviews, commentary, and more.

Freddy's Back! According to The Hollywood Reporter, after 16 years, a new A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET feature is in the works! The film, a remake based off of Wes Craven's original screenplay, will be released by Paramount's genre label, Paramount Primal. No word yet on casting, but we can't wait to see who will fill Robert Englund's legendary shoes and wear the famous sweater!

On August 11th, Lionsgate Limited will release the 4K version (it's first time available in the U.S. in this format) of THE DESCENT: PART 2. The film, directed by Jon Harris, is a direct sequel to 2005's THE DESCENT, which was directed by Neil Marshall. The 4K SteelBook includes new artwork from Matt Ryan Tobin as well as interview clips, both U.S. and international film trailers, audio commentary, and more. Preorder it via Lionsgate here.

Peacock's CRYSTAL LAKE series will premiere all 8 episodes on October 15, 2026, according to Bloody Disgusting.

EVIL DEAD BURN maybe didn't do so well at the U.S. box office, opening with a disappointing $13.7 million, but raked in a total of ~$40 million with worldwide ticket sales. Currently, the next film, EVIL DEAD WRATH, is set for theatrical release on April 7, 2028, but this may change due to BURN's performance.

Shark Horror has become quite the phenomenon over the last 10-plus years, thanks to the popularity of the Sharknado franchise. While Jaws was instrumental in driving fear into those who entered the waters, many years later, we're now scared of ghost sharks, tornados spewing out sharks left and right, and sharks that come out of tornados or are possessed by evil spirits, as well as sharks possessed by the devil. Trust us, there are plenty more absurd shark horror films out there.

In the meantime, with Stephen Scarlata, the Horrorverse team put together a list featuring many of our favorite shark horror films! Check out the list on Letterboxd.

WHAT TO WATCH

RIYL: 47 METERS DOWN: UNCAGED (2019)

This week, our guest contributor, Stephen Scarlata, director of Sharksploitation, is here to educate the masses on all things Shark Horror! For this week's Recommended If You Like, he chose 2019's 47 Meters Down: Uncaged (read his review in the Notes section), and the Horrorverse team followed along and chose our favorite picks to go along with it! Sink your teeth into our list on Letterboxd!

Sarah Stubbs | Bluesky | Instagram | Letterboxd | Website

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