From ‘Jaws’ to ‘Thrash,’ we rank the 15 best shark movies of all time
From ‘Jaws’ to ‘Thrash,’ we rank the 15 best shark movies of all time
Brian Truitt, USA TODAYThu, April 9, 2026 at 11:46 PM UTC
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For five decades, it hasn't been safe to go back into the water. Thanks, "Jaws."
The big screen has played host to a never-ending spate of troublesome man-eating sharks ever since Steven Spielberg's killer-fish spectacle. And a new movie featuring finned menaces has hit Netflix with the thriller "Thrash" (streaming now) featuring a pack of bull sharks threatening a South Carolina coastal town.
Over the years, audiences have developed a deep hunger for these underwater antagonists – hello, Shark Week! – so we're ranking the top 15 shark movies ever. (It's probably worth noting that, like with basketball comedies, the quality drops off quickly after the first few.)
15. 'Jaws 3' (1983)
SeaWorld has one huge PR problem when a young great white shark manages to find its way into the park's new underwater tunnels, and it gets even worse when the deadly fish's mom shows up, too. The film was an obvious ploy to freak people out with 3D technology, yet you can't argue with Louis Gossett Jr. and Dennis Quaid doing what they can to keep it watchable.
Where to watch: Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home.
14. 'Bait' (2012)
It has chintzy effects and doesn't know if it wants to be a disaster film or a shark movie, but at least it flips the script on the "Jaws" template. A tsunami floods a grocery store and leaves a pack of survivors trying to find their way out, as well as avoid the great white swimming through the aisles.
Where to watch: Prime Video, Tubi, Apple TV, Fandango at Home.
13. '47 Meters Down' (2017)
Two sisters, played by Mandy Moore and Claire Holt, go cage-diving in Mexico to see sharks up close and - shocker! - things do not go to plan. It's a pretty simple plot - the women have to escape their cage at the bottom of the ocean and not get eaten - made a lot better by smart use of lighting to ratchet up the scares.
Where to watch: Prime Video, Tubi, Apple TV, Fandango at Home.
12. 'Deep Blue Sea 3' (2020)
A scientist (Tania Raymonde) threatens a couple of genetically engineered bull sharks with a mine in the action thriller "Deep Blu Sea 3."
The proudly B-movie "Deep Blue Sea" franchise has a penchant for seriously bonkers shark attacks. This third installment is no different: Tania Raymonde plays the head of a group of video-blogging environmentalists on an artificial island in the Mozambique Channel, and her marine biologist ex (Nathaniel Buzolic) shows up with a goon squad hunting a trio of genetically engineered, crazy-smart bull sharks. (Fun fact: You'll root for the fish.)
Where to watch: Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home.
11. 'Meg 2: The Trench' (2023)
Jason Statham returns to again battle a gigantic prehistoric shark in the sci-fi action sequel "Meg 2: The Trench."
The first half of this sequel is a dull underwater sci-fi action flick all about folks turning on each other for natural resources and Jason Statham's diver dude saving his trouble-magnetic daughter. Then director Ben Wheatley lets loose with the creature feature we came for, where our hero has to deal with a trio of hungry megalodons, a kaiju-sized octopus and other freaky monsters attacking "Fun Island," a beachy locale that maniacally lives up to its name.
Where to watch: HBO Max, Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home.
10. 'Thrash' (2026)
A trio of foster siblings (from left, Alyla Browne, Dante Ubaldi and Stacy Clausen) are freaked out when a shark swims by their house in "Thrash."
A Category 5 hurricane rocks a Southern town. But the real problems arise when, thanks to an overturned meat truck spilling a river of blood, a bunch of bull sharks mosey in for lunch via high flood waters. The environmentally themed thriller levels up the tension of a usual shark movie by bringing the danger to human homes rather than the ocean, but the flick doesn't skimp on the B-movie gore, quirky humor or bonkers kills.
Where to watch: Netflix.
9. 'The Meg' (2018)
It does give you the hand-to-fin combat you want from Jason Statham battling a 75-foot-long prehistoric shark, but getting there is a bit arduous: A bunch of researchers plumb new depths off the coast of Shanghai and accidentally unleash the Meg. It's all pretty corny and earnest until the ginormous shark starts wreaking havoc on ships and people in inner tubes.
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Where to watch: Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home.
8. 'Dangerous Animals' (2025)
Jai Courtney plays a serial killer who uses sharks as his primary murder method in the horror movie "Dangerous Animals."
Slasher flicks and shark movies go together like peanut butter and jelly. And Jai Courtney is a nasty piece of work in this gonzo mash-up thriller as a sadistic serial killer with a murderous go-to move like no other: He kidnaps women and then feeds them to finned beasts for his murderous pleasure. That is, until he nabs a nomadic surfer (Hassie Harrison) who turns out to be one tough cookie.
Where to watch: Hulu, Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home.
7. 'Jaws 2' (1978)
Imagine the pressure of following "Jaws" without Steven Spielberg and two of your top actors. But unlike the two sequels that came later, this follow-up wasn't absolute chum. The shark is still crazy destructive – even taking on a helicopter – but what's neat here is the return of Roy Scheider as the police chief who's voted out when the powers-that-be don't believe another beast is in the water, but who saves the day anyway.
Where to watch: Netflix, Tubi, Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home.
6. 'The Reef' (2010)
A bunch of Australian friends (including a pair of lovers) sailing a yacht to Indonesia crash their boat on a coral reef and are stranded in the middle of the ocean. Their only hope is to get to a nearby island, a situation made harder – and much more tense – by a clever great white, noteworthy for being a real shark rather than a CGI one like most films use. Extra points for a headless giant turtle corpse.
Where to watch: Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home.
5. 'Open Water' (2003)
Daniel Travis and Blanchard Ryan star as the victimized scuba-diving couple of "Open Water."
This Sundance Film Festival breakout used actual sea life to add all-too-realism to its worst-case vacation scenario. A married couple go on a scuba expedition to help their relationship and wind up getting stranded, with jellyfish stinging and sharks circling. It's an unnerving narrative that aims for authentic emotions and some very hard decisions when it comes to survival.
Where to watch: HBO Max, Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home.
4. 'Under Paris' (2024)
Bérénice Bejo stars as a scientist dealing with a shark on the loose in the Seine in the French thriller "Under Paris."
Not only did it nab a Stephen King Tweet of Approval, there's a lot to enjoy in this high-end B-movie. A scientist (Bérénice Bejo) partners with a cop (Nassim Lyes) for help when a man-eating menace begins a killing spree, sets up shop in the catacombs and threatens a major triathlon that's come to town. In addition to some "Jaws" nods (including a clueless mayor), the final act is full of fishy mayhem, all leading to one heck of a last-scene cliffhanger.
Where to watch: Netflix.
3. 'The Shallows' (2016)
Blake Lively fends off a hungry shark with smarts and a flare gun in "The Shallows."
The prettiest shark movie you’ll ever see, it's essentially "Let's go surfing with Blake Lively in paradise" until her character becomes the target of a hungry shark. A scene-stealing seagull is her only confidante as she tends to a really nasty leg bite – luckily, she's pre-med! – and uses her smarts (and a flare gun) to foil the shark's meal plans.
Where to watch: Amazon, Apple TV, Fandango at Home.
2. 'Deep Blue Sea' (1999)
Thomas Jane takes on one really smart shark in "Deep Blue Sea."
Sure, the ridiculous factor is high when you consider that the sci-fi thriller centers on super-duper-smart sharks born from the studies of scientists working on an Alzheimer's cure. But it totally owns that silliness in an enjoyable way, like a shark using a dude strapped to a gurney as a battering ram. Bonus: The film offers up an all-time great movie death, a joyously gnarly munch you don't see coming until it’s too late.
Where to watch: Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home.
1. 'Jaws' (1975)
Richard Dreyfuss is an oceanographer dealing with a toothy menace in the original "Jaws."
The seafaring masterpiece sinks every other shark movie in its utter perfection. Hollywood's first summer blockbuster is aces across the board, from sheer terror to the unforgettable John Williams score (which keeps the dread going even without the toothy predator). But what really elevates the film from creature feature to complex shark-ridden drama is the trio of main characters, including top cop Brody (Roy Scheider), nerdy oceanographer Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) and Ahab-esque hunter Quint (Robert Shaw).
Where to watch: Netflix, Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 15 best shark movies ever, ranked – from 'Jaws' to 'Thrash'
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
