The Best Shark Movies Of All Time

Ranker Film
Updated August 23, 2023 23.0K votes 4.7K voters 427.3K views
Over 4.7K Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Best Shark Movies Of All Time
Voting Rules
Movies must feature sharks prominently.
Latest additions: The Black Demon, Meg 2: The Trench
Most divisive: Jaws: The Revenge

Water. Blood. Guts. Rows and rows and rows of teeth. This is a list of the best shark movies of all time, ranked by fans who can't get enough fins slicing through the waves. This list includes all genres of fiction as well as live-action shark films, horror movies with sharks, and animated shark movies.

Ever since Jaws brought shark movies into the mainstream, countless other shark films have been made. Be warned though: while some shark movies may be fine for kids, most of the best shark movies might be too scary. For whatever reason (probably the Jaws franchise), the great white shark is the most popular shark species in these films. Did you know that Jaws is even somewhat based on a true story? That said, other species can be found too, including bull sharks, mako sharks, and even the mythical Megalodon. Shark attack movies on this list include The Shallows, Deep Blue Sea, 47 Meters Down, and the Sharknado movies. 

Vote up the top shark films, whether they are the scariest, the most interesting, or simply the most fun. You'll even find a few shark movies based on true stories. Be sure to check back as new shark movies are added to the list once they are released.

Ranked by
  • Jaws
    1

    Jaws

    Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss
    1,947 votes
    • Released: 1975
    • Directed by: Steven Spielberg
    In the classic thriller Jaws, the quiet summer resort of Amity Island is thrown into chaos by a deadly great white shark. Police Chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) must team up with oceanographer Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) and grizzled shark hunter Quint (Robert Shaw) to stop it. Directed by Steven Spielberg, this film redefined the horror genre, creating the concept of a summer blockbuster. The film's tension-filled plot and iconic score won it three Academy Awards, including Best Original Score for John Williams. Despite its simple premise, Jaws remains an enduring masterpiece of suspense and fear.

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  • Deep Blue Sea
    2

    Deep Blue Sea

    Thomas Jane, Saffron Burrows, Samuel L. Jackson
    1,630 votes
    • Released: 1999
    • Directed by: Renny Harlin
    In the thrilling ride that is Deep Blue Sea, Dr. Susan McAlester (Saffron Burrows) and her team of scientists have been experimenting on sharks, aiming to find a cure for Alzheimer's. Their research takes place in an underwater facility, Aquatica. Carter Blake (Thomas Jane), a shark wrangler, and Preacher (LL Cool J), the cook, are among the crew members trapped within this watery labyrinth when things go awry. The genetically modified sharks prove more intelligent than anticipated, causing havoc as they break free. It's a gripping battle for survival that explores mankind's hubris in manipulating nature - all set against the backdrop of the deep blue sea.

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  • The Shallows
    3

    The Shallows

    Blake Lively, Óscar Jaenada, Brett Cullen
    872 votes
    • Released: 2016
    • Directed by: Jaume Collet-Serra
    Still reeling from the loss of her mother, medical student Nancy Adams (Blake Lively) travels to a secluded beach for some much-needed solace. Despite the danger of surfing alone, Nancy decides to soak up the sun and hit the waves. Suddenly, a great white shark attacks, forcing her to swim to a giant rock for safety. Left injured and stranded 200 yards from shore, the frightened young woman must fight for her life as the deadly predator circles her in its feeding ground.

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  • The Meg
    4

    The Meg

    Jason Statham, Li Bingbing, Rainn Wilson
    440 votes
    • Released: 2018
    • Directed by: Jon Turteltaub
    Previously thought to be extinct, a massive creature attacks a deep-sea submersible, leaving it disabled and trapping the crew at the bottom of the Pacific. With time running out, a visionary oceanographer recruits rescue diver Jonas Taylor to save the crew and the sea itself from an unimaginable threat -- a 75-foot-long prehistoric shark known as the Megalodon.

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  • 47 Meters Down
    5

    47 Meters Down

    Claire Holt, Mandy Moore, Chris Johnson
    392 votes
    • Released: 2017
    • Directed by: Johannes Roberts
    Young sisters Kate and Lisa and travel to Mexico for a vacation filled with sun, fun and adventure. Lisa needs some extra persuasion when Kate suggests that they go diving in shark-infested waters. Safe in their protective cage, the thrill-seeking siblings come face to face with a group of majestic great whites. Their worst fears soon become a reality when the cage breaks away from their boat, sending them plummeting to the ocean floor with a dwindling supply of oxygen.
  • Jaws 2
    6

    Jaws 2

    Roy Scheider, Lorraine Gary, Murray Hamilton
    1,314 votes
    • Released: 1978
    • Directed by: Jeannot Szwarc
    Years after the shark attacks that left Amity Island reeling, Sheriff Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) finds new trouble lurking in the waters. Mayor Vaughn (Murray Hamilton) wants to rid the beach town of the stain on its reputation. But the disappearance of a pair of divers suggests that all is not right. When Sheriff Brody voices his warnings about holding a sailing competition, everyone thinks it's post-traumatic stress. That is, until a shark fin cuts through the water.

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