‘Whalefall’ Gets PG-13 Rating for “Violent Content” and “Peril”

What would you do if you were swallowed alive by a whale?

That terrifying premise is at the center of Whalefall, the upcoming survival thriller from director Brian Duffield, and the movie has officially received its MPA rating.

Whalefall has been rated PG-13 for “peril, violent content, bloody images, some strong language, and thematic content.”

The film hits theaters exclusively on October 16, 2026.

Following the death of his father, Jay Gardiner (Austin Abrams) travels off the coast of California to search for his remains. During the dive, Jay is swallowed by a massive sperm whale and finds himself trapped inside its body with only one hour of oxygen remaining.

His only chance of survival may come from the lessons his father taught him before his death.

Brian Duffield (No One Will Save You) directs Whalefall from a screenplay he co-wrote with Daniel Kraus, based on Kraus’ 2023 novel.

The cast also includes Josh Brolin, Elisabeth Shue, Jane Levy, John Ortiz, and Emily Rudd.

Kraus’ novel was previously recognized as one of the standout horror books of 2023. While Whalefall isn’t technically a horror story, its intense survival premise and detailed exploration of what could happen inside a massive sperm whale make it an especially unsettling read—and potentially an even more terrifying movie.

Whalefall swims into theaters on October 16, 2026.