Aquatic Horror Films Set to Make a Major Comeback in 2026
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A long-established horror subgenre, which you might not ever have put a name to, looks set to make sizeable waves in 2026. "Aquatic horror" is its umbrella term, and you’ll soon be able to watch a whole host of new, intriguing titles of its ilk right from the cosy comforts of your sofa or local cinema.
What is Aquatic Horror? A large part of what makes aquatic horror effective is rooted in instinct, as humans aren’t exactly designed to exist underwater for long periods of time (though the global scientific community keeps trying to bypass this). For this reason, horror media centred around benthic bogeymen have persisted since the days of ancient folklore.
It's difficult to say what the very first aquatic horror entry was as a distinct film subgenre, but a good contender is the 1935 classic The Phantom Ship.
Of course, the most famous aquatic horror film is probably Jaws (1975). This story of a coastal community ravaged by a vengeful shark is about as bona fide an example as you could get – it even spawned its own sub-subgenre, the “sharksploitation” film.
As more and more Jaws sequels and derivatives were pumped out, however, the aquatic horror film started to look a little passé for a while. Nevertheless, the genre has continued to thrive in other media up to the present. It’s not uncommon today, for instance, to find on bingo websites UK slot titles such as Big Bass Halloween 3 and Shark Blitz: Jackpot Blitz, which play upon that same primal fear of the depths (the latter even employing a soundtrack eerily similar to John Williams’ infamous two-note ostinato).
Also, in 1995 an Oregon-based film festival dedicated to writer H. P. Lovecraft and his thalassophobia-inducing creations like Cthulhu and the Deep Ones was founded, and it’s been making annual appearances ever since in Portland and Providence.
New Aquatic Horror Classics in the Making If we imagine aquatic horror releases as existing on a bell curve, one might say we’ve been floating in the shallow end for a few years now, slowly ramping up some significant entries in the genre. There’s been steady progress, with films like The Meg (2018) and Meg 2: The Trench (2023) raking in some impressive figures at the box office, but it seems the trend is about to go full-mast in 2026.
Deep Water (dir. Renny Harlin) It looks like we’re in safe hands with this one. Director Renny Harlin is no stranger to oceangoing thrills, having also made the 1999 film Deep Blue Sea, starring Samuel L. Jackson.
Deep Water tells the tale of a long-haul flight which is forced to make an emergency landing in shark-infested waters, and the subsequent peril faced by its passengers.
The cast will pit such formidable names as Aaron Eckhart and Sir Ben Kingsley against each other in a merry-go-round of tension and adventure. It’s currently slated to release in the USA on May 1, 2026.
Tommy Wirkola’s #Shiver starring Phoebe Dynevor will hit theaters on July 3, 2026.
During a catastrophic hurricane, a coastal town fights both nature’s fury and a shark invasion. Amidst rain, debris, and darkness, they must unite to survive the deadly predators and the storm. pic.twitter.com/5beznqoZSs
Shiver (dir. Tommy Wirkola) Originally titled Beneath the Storm, this shark-infested thriller from the director of Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, and produced by Vice (2018)’s Adam McKay, has buried many of its finer plot details at sea. We do, however, know that it concerns a coastal town’s battle to survive a barrage of hungry gilled predators amidst a disastrous hurricane and flood.
Djimon Hounsou and Phoebe Dynevor are amongst the film’s principal cast members. Adam McKay is best known for his self-written and directed political satires. Combine this with Wirkola, whose films thus far have been more than a little pulpy, and we can expect a romp that’s as theatrical as it is poignant.
Alphas (dir. Liam O’Donnell) This film has been in development limbo for a few years now, but while we don’t yet know its official release date, it is reportedly in the post-production stage and is expected to finally swim onto our screens sometime in 2026.
A key member of the Skyline franchise production team, O’Donnell promises to deliver an intriguing story about a sea-life sanctuary owner who is convinced to help train her orca pod to be used as weapons against an out-of-control population of sharp-toothed sea beasts. It’s rare to see orcas take the spotlight away from sharks in aquatic horror, but a welcome innovation it is nonetheless.
An Ocean of Entertainment on the Horizon Be sure to hold your deepest breath and dive in to withstand the hours of aforementioned thrills and beyond coming your way in 2026.
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A long-established horror subgenre, which you might not ever have put a name to, looks set to make sizeable waves in 2026. "Aquatic horror" is its umbrella term, and you’ll soon be able to watch a whole host of new, intriguing titles of its ilk right from the cosy comforts of your sofa or local cinema.
What is Aquatic Horror?
A large part of what makes aquatic horror effective is rooted in instinct, as humans aren’t exactly designed to exist underwater for long periods of time (though the global scientific community keeps trying to bypass this). For this reason, horror media centred around benthic bogeymen have persisted since the days of ancient folklore.
It's difficult to say what the very first aquatic horror entry was as a distinct film subgenre, but a good contender is the 1935 classic The Phantom Ship.
Of course, the most famous aquatic horror film is probably Jaws (1975). This story of a coastal community ravaged by a vengeful shark is about as bona fide an example as you could get – it even spawned its own sub-subgenre, the “sharksploitation” film.
As more and more Jaws sequels and derivatives were pumped out, however, the aquatic horror film started to look a little passé for a while. Nevertheless, the genre has continued to thrive in other media up to the present. It’s not uncommon today, for instance, to find on bingo websites UK slot titles such as Big Bass Halloween 3 and Shark Blitz: Jackpot Blitz, which play upon that same primal fear of the depths (the latter even employing a soundtrack eerily similar to John Williams’ infamous two-note ostinato).
Also, in 1995 an Oregon-based film festival dedicated to writer H. P. Lovecraft and his thalassophobia-inducing creations like Cthulhu and the Deep Ones was founded, and it’s been making annual appearances ever since in Portland and Providence.
New Aquatic Horror Classics in the Making
If we imagine aquatic horror releases as existing on a bell curve, one might say we’ve been floating in the shallow end for a few years now, slowly ramping up some significant entries in the genre. There’s been steady progress, with films like The Meg (2018) and Meg 2: The Trench (2023) raking in some impressive figures at the box office, but it seems the trend is about to go full-mast in 2026.
Deep Water (dir. Renny Harlin)
It looks like we’re in safe hands with this one. Director Renny Harlin is no stranger to oceangoing thrills, having also made the 1999 film Deep Blue Sea, starring Samuel L. Jackson.
Deep Water tells the tale of a long-haul flight which is forced to make an emergency landing in shark-infested waters, and the subsequent peril faced by its passengers.
The cast will pit such formidable names as Aaron Eckhart and Sir Ben Kingsley against each other in a merry-go-round of tension and adventure. It’s currently slated to release in the USA on May 1, 2026.
Shiver (dir. Tommy Wirkola)
Originally titled Beneath the Storm, this shark-infested thriller from the director of Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, and produced by Vice (2018)’s Adam McKay, has buried many of its finer plot details at sea. We do, however, know that it concerns a coastal town’s battle to survive a barrage of hungry gilled predators amidst a disastrous hurricane and flood.
Djimon Hounsou and Phoebe Dynevor are amongst the film’s principal cast members. Adam McKay is best known for his self-written and directed political satires. Combine this with Wirkola, whose films thus far have been more than a little pulpy, and we can expect a romp that’s as theatrical as it is poignant.
Alphas (dir. Liam O’Donnell)
This film has been in development limbo for a few years now, but while we don’t yet know its official release date, it is reportedly in the post-production stage and is expected to finally swim onto our screens sometime in 2026.
A key member of the Skyline franchise production team, O’Donnell promises to deliver an intriguing story about a sea-life sanctuary owner who is convinced to help train her orca pod to be used as weapons against an out-of-control population of sharp-toothed sea beasts. It’s rare to see orcas take the spotlight away from sharks in aquatic horror, but a welcome innovation it is nonetheless.
An Ocean of Entertainment on the Horizon
Be sure to hold your deepest breath and dive in to withstand the hours of aforementioned thrills and beyond coming your way in 2026.