Whalefall Isn’t Really About a Whale, Says Josh Brolin

*Whalefall*, now in cinemas, follows a scuba diver who is swallowed by a sperm whale while searching the Pacific for his father’s remains. The filmmakers say the whale is not the story’s villain: the film’s central concern is the diver’s difficult relationship with his father and his attempt to find peace with it.

Author and screenwriter Daniel Kraus said building the whale’s first stomach for the film was a major challenge, since it had to move and contain water, animals and other elements. Actor Austin Abrams described filming the scene as physically demanding because of the sensation of being compressed. Director Brian Duffield and Kraus said they approached the whale with affection and respect, portraying it as an awe-inspiring creature rather than a threat.