'Deep Water' Interview: Renny Harlin and Gene Simmons

Moviefone speaks with director Renny Harlin and producer Gene Simmons about 'Deep Water'. "This is a great movie but don't see it alone," Simmons said.

The new survival film ‘Deep Water’, which was directed by Renny Harlin (‘Deep Blue Sea’) and produced by Gene Simmons of the band KISS, opens in theaters on May 1st.

Deep Water

"Surviving the crash is just the beginning."

RHorror Thriller

Audience
Score

Release Date: May 1, 2026

Run Time: 1 hr 46 min

The film stars Aaron Eckhart (‘The Dark Knight’), Angus Sampson (‘Mad Max: Fury Road’), Kelly Gale (‘Plane’), and Oscar winner Sir Ben Kingsley (‘Gandhi’).

'Deep Water' Producer Gene Simmons and Director Renny Harlin.

Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with director Renny Harlin and producer Gene Simmons about their work on 'Deep Water', Harlin’s first reaction to the screenplay and how his experience making ‘Deep Blue Sea’ prepared him to direct this movie, while Gene Simmons discussed the challenges of producing the film and finding the right person to direct.

You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.

Aaron Eckhart in 'Deep Water'. Photo: Jen Raoult.

Moviefone: To begin with, Renny, can you talk about your first reaction to the screenplay and how do you think your previous experience working in this genre prepared you to direct this movie?

Renny Harlin: My first reaction was, this is like one of those movies that I grew up watching and loving in the ‘70s. The kind of disaster movies like ‘The Poseidon Adventure’, where it’s a collection of characters put in an extraordinary situation and then witnessing some of them get stronger and some of them get weaker and show their humanity. That to me was the most interesting aspect about this movie. Of course, yes, a huge plane crash, yes, lots of bloodthirsty sharks, all that, but to me, the most important thing were the characters. To answer your question, the interesting thing is that it's been over 25 years since I made ‘Deep Blue Sea’ and a lot of things have uh changed. But at the same time, movies really come down to what's on the page, what's in the script? What is the story all about? Who are the characters? It doesn't really matter whether we are using CGI or AI or whatever technology, what people come to see in the movie theater are the characters in the story and people come there to feel something, whether you laugh or scream or cry, you want to feel emotions. That's a reason to go to the movie theater.

(L to R) Priya Jain, Molly Belle Wright and Aaron Eckhart in 'Deep Water'. Photo: Jen Raoult.

MF: Finally, Gene, how did you get involved with this project and do you think your previous experience producing albums and concert tours prepared you to produce this movie?

Gene Simmons: No matter how much you prepare for anything, life is going to happen to you while you're busy making all your all so important plans. It doesn't work that way. There are no rules in movie making. You're out in the Wild West. You ever see those suction fish that attach themselves onto sharks? They're lucky, because all the hard work is being done by the shark. They're with a winner. They don't have to risk life and limb, and I feel that way. Everything begins and ends with that first blank piece of paper, and that lonely writer somewhere by themselves. That magic that happens, hoping against hope and against all odds, if you get a good script, it starts to attract creative people, cinematographers, special effects, and so on, and money. Money is attracted to a quality script but doesn't commit until you're lucky, and Sir Ben Kingsley and Aaron Eckhart attach themselves to your movie. Both, seasoned actors, respected around the world, and they're not going to commit themselves to even a good script, if there's not a great director attached. Because their performances will live or die unless it's in the hands of a seasoned pro, who can deliver the goods, and he's the one that works the hardest, the first one in, and the last one out. This is a great motion picture. You shouldn't go to see it alone. Go to see it with your friends, family, and neighbors, May 1st, in a theater near you.

'Deep Water' opens in theaters on May 1st.

What is the plot of ‘Deep Water’?

A group of international passengers traveling from Los Angeles to Shanghai are forced to make an emergency landing in shark-infested waters. Now they must work together in hopes to overcome the frenzy of sharks drawn to the wreckage.