Utterly Ridiculous ‘Hot Spring Shark Attack’ Swims Into North American Theaters This Wednesday (July 9th)!
You’re gonna need a bigger onsen.
updated on
A couple of years ago I remember seeing an Indiegogo campaign for a Japanese movie about a shark invading hot springs. It was titled Onsen Shark, and it looked extremely silly and very awesome. I sadly missed out on backing the project, but the movie was released in Japan in July of 2024, and now it’s headed to theaters in the United States!
Titled Hot Spring Shark Attack for its international release, the movie is a shark-attack tokusatsu comedy about sharks that somehow make their way into the onsen of Atsumi City. Take a look at the trailer below:
Here’s the official plot synopsis from the press release: “In a small hot spring town in Japan, a ferocious ancient shark reawakens and begins terrorizing the local hot spring facilities. As the threat escalates, the townspeople band together to protect their beloved town from the menacing predator, leading to a fierce and thrilling battle.”
What excites me the most about Hot Spring Shark Attack is the use of tokusatsu effects like miniatures and practical models. CGI is used too, obviously, but the practical effects give the trailer such a fun feeling. Hopefully that feeling carries over into the full movie.
If you want to be among the first to watch the movie in US theaters, mark your calendars for July 9th, 2025. That’s the date when select Cinemark and Alamo Drafthouse theaters throughout the United States will begin showing Hot Spring Shark Attack. Some areas will begin showing the film after that date, but most cities only have a single screening scheduled. So don’t miss it!
You can check for theaters and times here: hotspringsharkattackfilm.com
Hot Spring Shark Attack is also headed to streaming services in North America this Friday, July 11th. Most platforms don’t have it listed yet, but Apple TV has it listed for pre-order. It should also be available on Prime Video, Fandango at Home, iNDEMAND, Vubiquity, and Cable VOD.
If you want to learn more about the movie, check out the (now closed) Indiegogo campaign. There are extra videos and photos that will give you an even better feel for what to expect.
