As a long-time enthusiast of thrilling cinematographic experiences, I find myself thoroughly enthused by the recent surge in sharksploitation films, particularly the upcoming project “Zipline” featuring Ioan Gruffudd and Ross Butler. Having grown up with Steven Spielberg’s iconic “Jaws” under my belt, the allure of these aquatic predators has always been a source of both fascination and fear.
The revival of shark-themed action movies persists, with news from Variety that Ioan Gruffudd, known for his role as Reed Richards in 2005’s Fantastic Four and its sequel, and Ross Butler, who played Superhero Eugene in Shazam! and Shazam! Fury of the Gods within the DC universe, are set to collaborate on an upcoming thriller titled Zipline.
Under the direction of Magnus Martens (from Fear the Walking Dead) and written by George Mahaffey Jr. (Chief of Station), Zipline features Holland Roden (Teen Wolf, Mayans MC) and Sonia Ammar (Scream, The Equalizer 3). Produced by Simple House Films, Black Bear has acquired international rights for this film and will be showcasing it to potential buyers at the American Film Market later in October. From the plot summary, it seems like a thrilling movie that brings together elements we love, such as a lush tropical backdrop, a tense countdown scenario, and, you guessed it, sharks. Take a look below for more details.
Following their peaceful vacation on a tropical isle, a group of old college friends encounter adrenaline-pumping challenges when a thrilling zipline tour places them precariously high above an empty lagoon. With the heat intensifying and the zipline showing signs of failure, they collaborate to find a safe exit, only to realize that a more ominous danger lurks beneath the surface.
Sharks Are Big Business Right Now
Over the past few years, shark horror films, a popular staple in the “nature gone wild” subgenre of horror, have been relatively low-key following their resurgence due to 2013’s Sharknado. However, the release of Meg in 2018 and its sequel the following year, which grossed close to $400 million at the box office, brought them back into the spotlight. This trend has continued, with as many as five films centered around the fearsome underwater predator surfacing this year alone, eagerly devouring human flesh on screen.
Standout among them were the films “Under Paris” by Xavier Gens, which was seen by 40 million viewers in its initial week of release on Netflix, and “No Way Up” directed by Claudio Fäh, portraying the struggle for survival of plane crash survivors amidst shark-infested waters. Although these movies did not receive significant critical acclaim, they captured the hearts of audiences due to our longstanding fear of sharks, a terror that was ignited in us after watching “JAWS” for the first time. This primal dread of one of Earth’s ancient predators keeps our hearts racing and hands sweating, and filmmakers continue to capitalize on this fear well into 2025.
Next year, we’ve got “Beneath the Storm” lined up, with Tommy Wirkola, director of “Violent Night,” taking the helm and Phoebe Dynevor from “Bridgerton” starring alongside Djimon Hounsou from “A Quiet Place Day One.” Richard Dreyfuss, known for his role in “JAWS,” will be back in the horror genre in 2025 with “Into the Deep.” It was revealed in May that the successful “47 Meters Down” series is set to release a third installment, which will be directed by genre expert Patrick Lussier.
Although it’s hard to identify exactly why sharks have become popular in films lately, we certainly won’t object. Given the current trend of horror movies being so popular, we’re happy to see their return to enrich the variety at the cinema, if only to potentially obtain an impressive popcorn bucket next year, perhaps even as amazing as the one we got with Meg 2: The Trench.
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2024-11-01 19:01