Director frames giant whale as hero in new thriller Whalefall
Director Brian Duffield says the whale in Whalefall is meant to be a hero, a contrast to Jaws, as the film premieres in Los Angeles.
Brian Duffield, director of the new thriller Whalefall, told reporters at the Los Angeles premiere that the film’s massive sperm whale is intended to be the audience’s “good guy,” a deliberate departure from the fear-inducing shark of Jaws. Based on Daniel Kraus’s 2023 novel, the story follows diver Austin Abrams as he dives deep to locate his missing father, played by Josh Brolin, and is unexpectedly swallowed by the whale while it hunts a squid.
Duffield highlighted the production’s intensive work filming inside a constructed whale stomach set and noted that the picture will be presented in 4DX, warning viewers they might feel seasick. He also expressed a strong pro-whale stance, joking that the film is “anti-squid, but pro-whale.” Disney backed the project after seeing Abrams’s audition, and the movie opens in theaters on Friday.
