Just when you thought it was safe … the shark movie is back for more

Shark Week arrives in an overstuffed period for the film genre even if nothing will ever rival the greatest of them all

Tracy Jordan, Tracy Morgan’s character on 30 Rock, once advised a friend to live every week like it’s Shark Week. In 2026, Hollywood has finally taken these sage words to heart.

Though Discovery Channel is only observing its annual Shark Week of shark-themed programming for the customary seven days, shark movies have been enjoying a yearlong renaissance – in terms of volume, if not necessarily quality. Two shark thrillers – The Devil’s Mouth on Prime Video and Above & Below as a paid VOD rental – are releasing this week, presumably to complement nonfictional Shark Week programming, but they’re far from the only fish in the sea. Earlier this month, Clint Eastwood’s daughter starred in The Bay, another VOD title. In June, there was Chum, starring Alice Eve; in May, Deep Water, Renny Harlin’s return to the subgenre following his classic Deep Blue Sea. Before that, Thrash was a Netflix hit. That’s half a dozen shark movies so far this year. It’s a wonder no one has arranged a 10th-anniversary re-release of The Shallows.
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