7 Killer Shark Sequels To Slay Your Summer
Mary Beth McAndrews
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Since the 1980s, Shark Week has been taking a bite out of summer, feeding on our fear of the aquatic unknown. But horror films have been doing that for decades. From Jaws to Lucio Fulci’s Zombi 2, horror directors knew that these big-toothed creatures from the deep would strike fear into the hearts of millions. While those classics dominate the zeitgeist for the best aquatic horror, some of their sequels are just as memorable. Sure these films may not appear to be as original, but they still bring the fear, especially when it comes to placing the lords of the ocean as our villains.
Director Andrew Traucki knows this well, just look at his creature feature-dominated filmography. Now, he’s tackling a sequel to his shark horror classic The Reef with The Reef: Stalked.
In honor of the release of The Reef: Stalked, streaming now on Shudder, we put together a list of some of the best shark movie sequels out there. Now, the word best here is flexible, with some being of technically good quality and others just being downright fun.
Open Water 2: Adrift
The first Open Water film is an atmospheric nightmare as a couple is left by their tour boat to float alone in, well, open water. Open Water 2 has a similar conceit, but with a group of partiers who forget to lower a ladder into the water from their yacht. Without the ladder, there’s no way for them to get back into the boat. Yes, it may sound silly at first, but with no one else on the massive boat, they’re trapped. Plus, a shark or two make an appearance to feast on the bickering friend group. While this is technically a sequel, there’s no narrative connection between the two Open Water films.
Deep Blue Sea 2
In 2018, it was decided that we needed another Deep Blue Sea film. As if the first wasn’t enough of an aquatic horror classic. In this standalone sequel, a shark conservationist is hired as a consultant for a pharmaceutical company experimenting on bull sharks. Specifically, scientists are genetically altering bull shark brains. But as the bull sharks develop above-average intelligence, they begin to rebel.
Jaws 2
Jaws 2 is the best example of a shark horror movie sequel done right. While Spielberg didn’t helm the Jaws follow-up, Roy Scheider reprised his role as Sheriff Martin Brody after the harrowing events of the first film. Brody is painted as crazy, simply traumatized and paranoid. But when another great white shark appears, he’s unfortunately vindicated in his paranoia. This film may not pack the same punch as Jaws, but it still boasts some incredibly brutal kill sequences.
47 Meters Down: Uncaged
Yet another standalone sequel, 47 Meters Down: Uncaged takes the conceit of the first film, but places our protagonists in an intricate cave system instead of a broken shark cage. While going diving in an ancient Mayan city, hidden inside a series of caves, four teenagers find themselves trapped underwater in the pitch dark. Then, they soon discover that these caves are a hunting ground for great white sharks. The girls must try and escape the claustrophobic caves without becoming a shark’s next meal.
Sharknado 2
There’s something just so damn fun about the Sharknado films. Sure, they aren’t cinematic masterpieces, but they’re silly and fun to watch with a group of friends. The second in the series, Sharknado 2: The Second One, sees New York City under threat from a storm full of sharks. It’s up to our hero Fin (Ian Ziering) to once again save the day. This includes yet another epic shark death by chainsaw, Vivica A. Fox fighting sharks with a damn sword on the Empire State Building, and more.
Ouija Shark 2
OK, so this one hasn’t hit streaming yet, but we’re still very excited about this wild concept of a film. The sequel to Ouija Shark dives into the lore of the ghost shark and its supernatural origins.
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