20th Century Studios has released a second trailer for Whalefall, widening the view of the scuba-diver horror as he is swallowed by a massive sperm whale.
What the new trailer reveals
Austin Abrams stars as the diver who is swallowed after a search for his deceased father’s remains. Inside the whale’s belly he battles stomach acid, dwindling air, and encounters other sea life as he searches for a way out. The 80-foot, 60-ton whale is the central threat, with the creature continuing to feed and menacing his survival.
Director Brian Duffield notes that much of what appears on screen was built practically, including a whale stomach set with the whale’s heart beating beside it so the stomach could react to the heart’s rhythm throughout the film.
Water-filled interiors presented additional challenges, as draining water could alter the stomach’s shape overnight, complicating the previs and storyboards. At one point, Duffield notes, a squid puppet shared the space in the stomach as well.
Rather than relying entirely on digital effects, Duffield aimed to trap Abrams physically inside something wet and unpredictable, to heighten the sense that the danger is happening around him in real time.
Early comparisons frame the setup as a survival thriller in which the diver must escape before his air runs out.
Release date and context
Whalefall is set to swim into theaters on October 16, 2026.
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