Utopia has announced the U.S. release of Hot Spring Shark Attack, the Japanese horror-comedy that blends genre satire with aquatic mayhem. The film will open in select theaters, including Los Angeles and New York City, on July 11, 2025, with additional special preview screenings at Alamo Drafthouse locations on July 9. The film will also be available the same day on major digital and cable VOD platforms across North America.
Directed by Morihito Inoue in his feature debut, Hot Spring Shark Attack premiered at the 2024 Tokyo International Shark Film Festival, where it received the Audience Award. The cast features Takuya Fujimura (One Cut of the Dead), Daniel Aguilar (Shin Godzilla), ShĂ´ichirĂ´ Akaboshi, Masaki Naito, Koichi Makigami, Kiyobumi Kaneko, and Mio Takaki.
Set in a peaceful Japanese hot spring town, the story follows the reemergence of a dormant, ancient shark that begins attacking local bathhouses. As panic spreads, the community comes together in a collective effort to fend off the aquatic threat.
Director Inoue noted the film’s positive reception in Japan and expressed anticipation for its international release. “My film was made domestically in Japan and received great acclaim, not only from regular shark movie enthusiasts but also from many viewers who were previously unfamiliar with the genre,” he said. “I’m very excited to see how this work will be received outside of Japan.”
Hot Spring Shark Attack will be available July 11 on Apple TV, Prime Video, Fandango at Home, iNDEMAND, Vubiquity, and more.
