Director Brian Duffield comes up for air to talk all things ‘Whalefall’: “I’m a real glutton for punishment”

Brian Duffield’s *Whalefall*, a survival thriller adapted from Daniel Kraus’s novel, follows a man trapped inside an enormous whale as he races to escape. Duffield says the film’s claustrophobic setting and demanding premise were designed for a large cinema release, with sound helping make the confined story feel epic.

Austin Abrams plays Jay Gardiner, who enters the sea to retrieve his late father’s remains and hopes to find emotional closure after their strained relationship. Instead, he is swallowed by an 80-foot whale; the film also stars Josh Brolin as his father. Kraus co-wrote the screenplay, Imagine Entertainment acquired the book rights in August 2023, and 20th Century Studios agreed to distribute the film in March 2024. It is scheduled to reach cinemas on 16 October 2026.