You might immediately think of *Jaws* when killer sharks come to mind, but Renny Harlin’s *Deep Blue Sea* offers a distinct twist on the genre. A true B-movie classic, the film seamlessly shifts between a suspenseful thriller and satirical parody, delivering exactly what fans of shark movies expect.
The premise is a bit outlandish: shark-obsessed scientists have developed a method to extract brain tissue from sharks to cure Alzheimer’s disease. However, these deep-sea predators have other plans—they’re far more interested in turning humans into their next meal. What makes these sharks especially terrifying is their unexpected intelligence. They can memorize the layout of human bases and cleverly lure victims into their jaws.
The result is an exciting and often hilarious ride, which helps *Deep Blue Sea* stand out among similar genre entries.
### What About a *Deep Blue Sea* Sequel?
Is Renny Harlin interested in making a sequel? Not really. Although the original 1999 shark flick has spawned two direct-to-video sequels, Harlin was not involved in their production. While these follow-ups offer plenty of shark carnage, they approach the material from a decidedly low-budget, schlocky angle.
In an interview with **SFX Magazine** (October 2025 issue), Harlin shared his thoughts on the sequels:
> “They already did sort of like rip-off versions. I’ve never seen any of them, but they felt very low-budget and so and so. I think they kind of… I don’t know, it felt like they sold it cheap. So I’m done with it.”
This perspective is understandable. Harlin’s *Deep Blue Sea* remains a sincere exploration of the shark attack genre, blending technical artistry with a playful embrace of its own schlockiness.
### Looking Ahead: *Deep Water*
That said, Harlin is excited about his next big sea-focused project, *Deep Water*, which promises even more bombastic shark action than anything he’s done before.
Not to be confused with the erotic thriller of the same name starring Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas, Harlin’s *Deep Water* centers around a group of passengers on a flight from Los Angeles to Shanghai. Forced to make an emergency ocean landing, they find themselves stranded in shark-infested waters. The survivors must struggle to reach safety while avoiding becoming prey to the circling predators.
In the same **SFX** interview, Harlin described the scale of the film:
> “It’s a very big, epic movie—a callback to 1970s disaster movies. It’s like my *Poseidon Adventure*, but with a plane in the ocean. The survivors think they are lucky until they realize that they are surrounded by sharks, and then it becomes kind of like the USS Indianapolis story in *Jaws*. It’s a very big canvas with a big cast of characters, and it’s very emotional […] I honestly think it’s a very good movie. I’m tremendously excited.”
### Star-Studded Cast and High Hopes
*Deep Water* features a notable ensemble, including Aaron Eckhart, Ben Kingsley, Angus Sampson, Kelly Gale, and Madeleine West, among others. If the film captures even a fraction of the excitement and tone of *Deep Blue Sea*, fans can look forward to an emotional, spectacle-filled shark extravaganza that balances thrilling action with a hint of tongue-in-cheek humor.
Hopefully, this upcoming release will be a refreshing change of pace—especially compared to Harlin’s recent *The Strangers Chapter 2*, which suffered from tired genre clichés and failed to justify its own existence.
Stay tuned for what promises to be an epic and exhilarating new chapter in shark-centric cinema.
https://www.slashfilm.com/1994479/deep-blue-sea-director-renny-harlin-sequels-feelings/
