Overview
- 20th Century Studios and Imagine Entertainment released a full trailer and poster on Wednesday that spotlight interior sequences set inside a whale and reconfirm the film’s theatrical opening on October 16, 2026.
- The trailer presents the central premise: Austin Abrams’s character is swallowed by a massive sperm whale, is trapped with roughly one hour of oxygen, and must draw on lessons from his late father to try to survive.
- Director Brian Duffield co-wrote the screenplay with author Daniel Kraus and says the production built an extensive whale set on a Studio City soundstage and consulted whale experts to favor realism over monster-movie spectacle.
- The cast and production team include Josh Brolin as the father figure, Elisabeth Shue, John Ortiz, Jane Levy and Emily Rudd, with producers Brian Grazer, Brian Duffield, Jeb Brody and Allan Mandelbaum and three executive producers listed.
- The trailer rollout has driven wide press coverage and comparisons to contained survival films like Buried and 127 Hours, but the film has not yet played festivals or received critical reviews, leaving audience reaction and box-office prospects open.