Real Sharks and a Serial Killer Collide in ‘Dangerous Animals’

The first trailer has surfaced for Dangerous Animals, the latest feature from Australian horror director Sean Byrne, which sees Jai Courtney play a shark-obsessed serial killer hunting surfers off the coast. Blending creature-feature elements with survival horror, the film is set to premiere at Cannes 2025 as part of the Directors’ Fortnight line-up before hitting US cinemas on 12 June and UK cinemas on 6 June.

Set almost entirely at sea, Dangerous Animals follows rebellious surfer Zephyr, played by Hassie Harrison, who finds herself kidnapped by a man whose fascination with apex predators has tipped into homicidal ritualism. Held captive on his boat and surrounded by real circling sharks, Zephyr is forced to battle not only the ocean but the man who intends to feed her to it.

Courtney, best known for action-heavy roles in Suicide Squad and The Terminal List, appears here in a darker and more psychologically driven part as Tucker, a predator whose obsession with shark behaviour drives the tension both figuratively and literally. The film also stars Josh Heuston and Ella Newton, with a screenplay by Nick Lepard.

Speaking to Bloody Disgusting, Byrne revealed that the underwater sequences were achieved using live shark footage, stitched into scenes with minimal use of CGI. Makos, bull sharks, tiger sharks and grey nurses all make onscreen appearances, with Byrne stating the approach was designed to keep the experience grounded and tactile. Only dorsal fins were digitally added, while the rest relied on high-resolution ocean footage to maintain realism.

The decision to shoot with real marine footage marks Byrne’s continued interest in blending genre horror with visceral authenticity. His previous films The Loved Ones and The Devil’s Candy have earned cult status for their mix of grounded emotion and sudden violence. Dangerous Animals looks poised to follow in that tradition, but with the added pressure of filming in a marine environment where the threat is as much below the surface as it is above it.

Produced independently and backed by Mister Smith Entertainment, the film was presented at last year’s Marché du Film in Cannes, generating early interest based on its stripped-down concept and harrowing premise. The newly rebranded Independent Film Company (IFC) is set to distribute the film theatrically.

Dangerous Animals will have its world premiere at the Directors’ Fortnight strand at Cannes before landing in US theatres on 12 June. Dangerous Animals is in UK cinemas 6 June

Dangerous Animals trailer

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