Here's an interesting premise for a survival film: getting swallowed by a whale and fighting to escape alive. That's what the upcoming movie Whalefall is about, based on the 2023 novel of the same name by Daniel Kraus, an author who has collaborated with Guillermo del Toro and George A. Romero.
Deadline reports that the lead role in Whalefall has gone to actor Austin Abrams. Abrams has previously starred in teen-centric projects like Do Revenge, Euphoria, Dash & Lily, and Paper Towns, but he's been branching out and becoming increasingly popular in recent years. In 2024, Abrams starred in Wolfs, an action comedy starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt. He will also star in the upcoming horror film Weapons from Barbarian director Zach Cregger. Abrams landed the part in Whalefall after an extensive auditioning process.
The outlet reports that Brian Duffield (No One Will Save You) will direct the film and co-write the script with Kraus. Described as 127 Hours meets The Martian, Whalefall follows a scuba diver searching for his late father's remains in the sea. During his underwater journey, a massive sperm whale comes out of the deep and swallows him whole. Alive inside the creature, the man is left with just one hour of oxygen to plot his escape.
Because of the novel's literary acclaim and a heated bidding auction held for the film rights, Whalefall is expected to be a prestigious property and a priority for 20th Century Studios after they acquired the rights.
Duffield seems like a great directorial choice for this film, especially after the breathtaking claustrophobic horror of his Hulu film No One Will Save You starring Kaitlyn Dever. As for Abrams, this seems like a tremendously exciting project for an up-and-coming actor.
These sorts of "locked room" thrillers have become quite popular within the survival horror genre. There's not much more terrifying than the isolation and claustrophobia that comes with being trapped inside one place for too long, especially in the case of this particular film in which the "locked room" in question is the inside of a living whale.
Stay tuned to 1428 Elm for more details on Whalefull and all things horror.