The Best Shark Movies: ‘Jaws,’ ‘Open Water,’ and More

There are few human obsessions that match our all-consuming fascination with sharks. They’re one of the rare animals with a national commemorative anniversary — or “holiday” depending on how invested you are in Shark Week — and their almost mythic-like status among the animal kingdom has provided endless fodder for film.

Sharks’ boneless cartilage frame places them in the classification of “elasmobranch” fish, grouping them with rays, sawfish, and skates. While it’s widely known that sharks are not as interested in feasting on human flesh as sci-fi, adventure, and horror movies portray them to be, most people would prefer not to take their chances getting close enough to confirm. With movies dating back as far as Jerry Hopper’s 1956 “The Sharkfighters” (and possibly sooner), filmmakers have made shark movies for nearly seven decades and they’ll likely continue that track record for as long as sharks are around. (Editor’s note: Sharks are definitely going to outlive film directors.) 

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Discovery helped progress the cultural phenomenon with Shark Week’s debut in 1988, making it one of TV’s longest-running programming events. Featuring stories from attack survivors, the show highlights the times surfing, scuba diving, and other deep-sea activities went wrong. While most shark movies capture the haunting killer instinct of the species, other animated films add personality and a sense of light-heartedness to their characters. DreamWorks and Disney each reimagined the diet of great whites, who live respectfully among other sea creatures. With “Meg 2: The Trench” opening in theaters next month, starring Jason Statham, it’s one of the more anticipated shark movies in recent memory. 

Read on for a list of the most notable shark movies with the biggest cult followings in chronological order.

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