The new film Whalefall , released on 16 October, takes viewers into the belly of the beast — quite literally. The survival thriller, based on Daniel Kraus’s 2023 novel, follows university student Jay Gardiner (played by Austin Abrams) as he is accidentally swallowed by a sperm whale while scuba diving. Viewers watch with apprehension as Jay treks through the whale’s multi-chambered stomach, looking desperately for a way out — all while reckoning with the anniversary of his father’s death.

The making of both the novel and its subsequent film relied heavily on collaboration with scientific advisors.…