Utopia, the indie powerhouse that brought us Shiva Baby and Red Rooms, is about to drop its most outrageous acquisition yet—Hot Spring Shark Attack (aka Onsen Shâku). This unhinged Japanese creature feature is gearing up for a summer 2025 release, and if early buzz is anything to go by, it’s going to be an absolute bloodbath (in the best way possible).
Picture this: a sleepy Japanese hot spring town, where steam drifts lazily over the water, setting the scene for relaxation—until an ancient shark emerges from the depths to wreak havoc. As the body count rises, the town bands together for a last-ditch battle against the apex predator. It’s Jaws meets Tampopo, with a side of scalding bathhouse horror.
The film is the brainchild of director Morihito Inoue, a two-time champ of the National Independent Kaiju Film Championship (yes, that’s a thing). His monster movie credentials—and clear love for practical effects—have already won Hot Spring Shark Attack some serious cred, especially after it snatched the Audience Award at the 2024 Tokyo International Shark Film Festival. And now, Utopia is giving it a home in the States, keeping up its streak of championing bold, first-time filmmakers.
If you’re lucky enough to hit the Chattanooga Film Festival (CFF) this June, you’ll get the first taste of Hot Spring Shark Attack on American soil. The programmers are so hyped, they’re already warning attendees not to wear socks—because they’ll be knocked clean off. And in true CFF style, the US premiere will come with a beach-themed rager featuring surf rockers BIG KAHUNA, ocean-inspired cocktails by Cathead Distillery, and, naturally, a karaoke clambake.
The early reactions have been nothing short of rapturous. Fans are calling it “a masterpiece from start to finish” and declaring that “real cinema is back.” Even Utopia’s Head of Marketing and Distribution, Kyle Greenberg, seemed a little blindsided by the film’s rising status, joking, “Wait, we bought what!?”
Between its bonkers premise, loving dedication to old-school creature effects, and the sheer audacity of setting a shark attack in a hot spring (seriously, where does it even come from?), Hot Spring Shark Attack is already shaping up to be the must-see genre spectacle of next summer.
So, grab your yukata, brace for some bathhouse carnage, and get ready to witness the return of real-deal shark horror—because this one’s gonna bite.
