Whale in the Center of "Whalefall" Is Actually a "Good Man"

Director Brian Duffield and star Austin Abrams unveiled the trailer for their film on Tuesday in Los Angeles and explained why the movie is completely different from "Jaws."

Anyone who's seen the pulsating trailer for Whalefall, in which a scuba diver is swallowed by a giant diving whale, probably doesn't see said whale as the movie's protagonist. But director Brian Duffield has a different point of view.

"I think the big difference between us and Jaws is that we really love the whale and he's the good guy in the movie. I think it's really important that you leave this movie loving our whale and loving whales in general," the filmmaker told The Hollywood Reporter at the film's Los Angeles premiere on Tuesday. "Unlike Jaws, where I think you're really scared of sharks, I think you're going to love this movie, Whale. We're very pro-whale here. Anti-squid, but pro-whale."

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Based on Daniel Krauss' 2023 novel of the same name, the film stars Austin Abrams as a diver who ventures into the depths of the water while searching for the remains of his father (Josh Brolin). He ends up being swallowed by a whale while hunting a squid and must fight for his life to escape the animal's belly before his scuba tank runs out of air.

Abrams was cast in the film before the success of Weapons and before reteaming with Zach Cregger as Duffield for Resident Evil. He recalls how the actor was "very compelling, raw and realistic, but when he auditioned, it was hard not to picture him in the role. Luckily, Disney agreed when they saw his audition tapes and thought he was incredible. I never had to choose. "He fought and I think shortly after we cast him, I was very happy for him that he cast him. Then a musical or something a little more relaxing."

The team spent weeks filming inside the reconstructed whale's belly, and for those looking for a more immersive experience, the film will be shown in 4DX, and Duffield warns, "I hope they don't get too seasick."

Abrams—who walked around his neighborhood with his scuba gear as part of his prep, teasing that "just to spend time with it, I knew we were going to spend a lot of time together, me and the scuba tank"—also suggests a 4DX strategy he didn't do on set: "Bring a poncho."

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