‘Whalefall’ Trailer Reactions – Austin Abrams Sucked into the Belly of a Sperm Whale

The trailer for 20th Century’s Whalefall got a huge reaction at CinemaCon in Vegas, and what we’re being told is that it is extremely horror-adjacent.

In the footage, THR writes, “Abrams is on a diving expedition when he encounters a squid, and menacing music plays as that squid is followed by a massive whale. He’s pinned against the rocks without a way to escape, and when he does try to swim free and hide among the kelp, the whale continues to circle in the darkness.

Continues the outlet, “The whale eventually goes in for the attack, with Abrams holding on for dear life to his teeth and kicking against the animal’s tongue before he is eventually swallowed whole, screaming the whole way down. Bubbles fly out of his mask and he descends into the whale’s body as the trailer cuts to black.“

Having read the book, I can tell you this moment is as terrifying as it sounds. And it only gets more breathless from there.

The film is described as The Martian meets 127 Hours, centering on a scuba diver in search of his deceased father’s remains who gets swallowed by an 80-foot, 60-ton sperm whale and has only one hour to escape before his oxygen runs out. After giving up on life, the young man is surprised to find a reason to live in the most dangerous and unlikely of places.

Austin Abrams (Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark) and Josh Brolin (Grindhouse) lead the cast, with Brian Duffield directing.

Elisabeth Shue (Piranha 3D), John Ortiz (Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem), Jane Levy (Evil Dead), and Emily Rudd (Fear Street) round out the cast.

It is based on the novel by Daniel Kraus.

20th Century dated the movie just in time for the Halloween season: October 16, 2026.