The Director Of Deep Blue Sea Is Making A New Shark Movie … With Gene Simmons

This is not a drill: the man who made “Deep Blue Sea” is finally making another shark movie. The most interesting wrinkle? Gene Simmons (yes, that Gene Simmons) of KISS fame is producing the movie from director Renny Harlin, which is titled “Deep Water.” How did we get to a place where Simmons is working with Harlin? Let’s discuss.

According to Variety, Simmons has launched a new production company with Gary Hamilton of Arclight Films, aptly titled Simmons/Hamilton Prods. They’re aiming to make a handful of action/thriller movies a year, and first up is “Deep Water,” which will see Harlin getting back in the ring with some big sharks for the first time since 1999 when he made arguably the second-best shark movie of all time with “Deep Blue Sea.” What will this new film be about? The synopsis reads as follows:

The film tells the tale of an eclectic group of international passengers whose plane, en route from Los Angeles to Shanghai, is forced to make an emergency landing in shark-infested waters. The terrified group is forced to work together and overcome their differences if they hope to escape their sinking plane and the frenzy of sharks drawn to the wreckage.

Some of Harlin’s other credits include “Cliffhanger” and “Die Hard 2,” as well as the upcoming reboot of “The Strangers.” Harlin, demonstrating a remarkable bit of self-awareness, had this to say about it:

“I’ve had my greatest success when working with planes or sharks. Getting to combine those two of my favorite thriller elements in a character-driven action adventure is a dream come true. I can’t wait to take the audience on the scariest plane ride of their lives. Gene and Gary both are my old friends and I’m excited to rock ‘n’ roll through the friendly skies with them.”

A fascinating convergence of talents

This is, undoubtedly, an odd yet fascinating convergence of disparate talents. Gene Simmons is hugely successful in the world of music and marketing, having sold tens of millions of albums with KISS, in addition to starring in a hugely successful reality TV show and putting his face on just about anything that could make him a dime. The music and movie businesses are wildly different beasts, but partnering with a guy like Hamilton makes it easy to see where they could find success, particularly if they’re producing lower-budget features that have the potential to break out with global audiences. Simmons had this to say about his new venture:

“Throughout my storied history in the music business, I’ve met all sorts of characters, but Gary Hamilton is the real deal! He’s a remarkable film executive and a great collaborator who, along with the fantastic team at Arclight Films, brings his expertise and outstanding knowledge of the film industry to this partnership. I am pumped and excited to be launching ‘Deep Water’ as our first project together with the action maven Renny Harlin at the helm.”

Harlin, meanwhile, has had himself quite the career. He’s directed everything from “A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master,” to legendary flops like “Cutthroat Island.” But getting him back in the water with a bunch of hungry sharks feels like it could be a recipe for success. No word yet on who will star in the shark-filled adventure, but production is expected to begin later this year. Stay tuned.

“Deep Water” does not currently have a release date set.