International
Top five shark movies ahead of Meg 2: The Trench, as per IMDb
Mumbai: One of the greatest fears of beachgoers has always been that of being attacked by a huge white shark. It doesn’t help that these deadly predators can be found swimming the coastal waters of practically all major oceans. But, despite our fear of great whites, we can’t help but be fascinated by them. Franchises centred around these creatures such as Jaws and The Meg have been highly successful at the global box office. The Meg which released in 2018 created quite the stir and was widely praised by audiences and critics. The makers are now back with its sequel Meg 2: The Trench that can be watched this Friday onwards at your nearest PVR INOX cinemas. Ahead of its launch, here are five top rated thriller shark films to watch based on IMDb ratings.
1. Jaws (1975) – rated 8.1 on IMDb
One can say that Steven Spielberg’s Jaws is the OG shark film, the one that started our unending fascination around sharks. Everyone knows the film Jaws, but do you know it’s based on a novel? Adapted from author Peter Benchley’s bestseller by the same name, Jaws is centred on the series of shark attacks that occurred off the coast of New Jersey which drove a police officer, a marine biologist and a fisherman into a terrifying shark hunt.
2. Shallows – rated 6.3 on IMDb
Imagine being in the jaws of death despite safety being just a few meters away. This is the story of Shallows, starring Blake Lively as Nancy Adams. Post her mother’s demise, Nancy travels to a secluded beach to surf in peace but soon comes face to face with death. Stranded on a rock, her short but horrifying escape to safety will have you anxiously biting your nails.
3. Deep Blue Sea (1999) – rated 5.9 on IMDb
People say old is gold and we agree! 1999’s Deep Blue Sea is unique, even in its time, for combining the danger of genetic engineering with shark attacks. The story follows an Alzheimer’s study gone wrong when a group of researchers, in their quest for developing a cure, end up being hunted by the sharks they altered genetically during their experiments. Well, there’s a reason why you shouldn’t mess with mother nature.
4. Open Water – rated 5.8 on IMDb
A horror thriller becomes scarier when it’s based on true events and Open Water is one such film. It’s based on the tragic disappearance of Thomas and Eileen Lonergan who vanished while scuba diving and are speculated to have succumbed to a shark attack in the open waters. The film imagines the turmoil they may have faced, stranded in the middle of nowhere.
5. 47 Meters Down – rated 5.6 on IMDb
This film will drill aquaphobia, claustrophobia and galeophobia (fear of sharks) into your minds. It may also make you paranoid on vacations. The film follows two sister’s fight for survival on their vacation. Trapped in a shark cage at the bottom of the ocean with just an hour’s worth of oxygen and hungry circling sharks, the sisters must find a way to swim to the surface alive and in one piece.
6. Meg 2: The Trench (releasing on 4 August 2023)
If you haven’t watched the trailer already, please do so a glimpse of the fiercely entertaining upcoming sci-fi thriller Meg 2: The Trench. The film further explores an ancient behemoth shark, The Megalodon and its hold over the food chain, both on and offshore. Jonas Taylor (Jason Statham) and his team are once again thrown into mortal peril as they try to outrun the ace predator they are trying to study and also a few more ancient giants.
International
Moskino and Bollywood: Moscow Film Cluster and Film City Mumbai signed a cooperation agreement
Moscow Film Cluster has signed a cooperation agreement with Film City Mumbai. The parties agreed to cooperate in developing the film industry, promoting shooting locations and supporting filmmakers.
The memorandum was signed on the sidelines of the India International Film Tourism (IIFTC) Conclave in Mumbai. At this forum, the Moscow Film Cluster presented Moscow’s opportunities for film shooting, including infrastructure projects such as Film City Moskino and Film Factory. Special attention was paid to the Moscow rebate system – up to 45% – and the co-production development.
Memorandum of Understanding between the Film City and Moscow Film Cluster provides for the establishment and development of mutually beneficial cooperation in the film industry development, including joint promotion of shooting locations, support for filmmakers, implementation of marketing and industry events, development of incentive support measures and strengthening of economic and cultural interaction between India and Moscow.
The parties also intend to promote the development of the audiovisual sector through the exchange of experience, joint initiatives and the search for opportunities to create new industry partnerships and clusters.
Moscow Film Cluster is a major city initiative led by Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin to develop the capital into a global cinema hub. It brings together key production infrastructure – such as the Moskino Film Сity, Film Factory and Gorky Film Studio – along with the Film Commission, digital platform and cinema chain to streamline shooting, support productions and attract international filmmaking to Moscow.
Also, Moscow offers a rebate of up to 45%: 30% as direct production cost compensation, up to 15% for visa and accommodation support. The Moscow Image Grant provides up to $255,000 for films showcasing iconic city views.
The Moscow Film Cluster booth attracted considerable attention from Indian producers and studios. Over 80 business meetings were held, including those with major Indian companies.
One of the booth guests was the famous Indian actress Khushboo Sundar, known to Soviet and Russian audiences for her role in My Soul and considered the leading star of Tamil cinema, in whose honor one of the local temples was even built. Prithul Kumar, representative of the Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and one of the officials responsible for regulating the film industry in the country, also expressed interest in the development of the Moscow Film Cluster.
One of the highlights of the India International Film Tourism Conclave was the awarding of The Greatest of All Time in the For Cinematic Excellence category. The movie was shot in Moscow. The jury members noted the project’s contribution to the development of tourism.
The shooting of The Greatest of All Time AGS by Entertainment was organized with the assistance of the Moscow Film Cluster and the Moscow Film Commission and took place in April 2024 on the streets of Moscow. The scenes were shot in such famous locations as Patriarch Bridge, Teatralnaya Square, Manezhnaya Square, Kazarmenny Lane, Podsosensky Lane, Nikolskaya Street and one of the festival venues of Moscow Seasons.
The Greatest of All Time became a landmark event in Indian box office history. It ranked fourth in box office earnings among all movies released in India in 2024 and is one of the most successful Tamil-language movies in history.
At the same time, the shooting of another joint Russian-Indian movie started at the Moskino Film City in Moscow. A film project dedicated to badminton became one of the first participants in the Moscow rebate program.
A project by Smena & WISH Media (Russia) and Kartina Entertainment And Sports Private Limited (India) will tell the story of a badminton player who travels to India with the Russian national team to compete in a tournament. Russian viewers will see for the first time the scale of sporting competitions in Asia, where badminton is a cult sport and draws packed stands of fans.
The agreement on the joint production of the Smash movie was signed st the Moscow International Film Week in August 2025. And as Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said, a rebate application was also submitted at that time to reimburse part of the costs incurred during the shooting process in the Russian capital.
