Warning: Spoilers ahead for Under Paris
Under Paris director Xavier Gens has shared details about what a potential sequel might look like after the French shark film became a surprise hit for Netflix.
The film follows talented scientist Sophia (Bérénice Bejo), who discovers a huge shark has somehow entered the Seine River the day before the city’s renowned triathlon event.
Speaking to Variety in a new interview, Gens was asked whether there was a sequel on the horizon.
“Right now, as of today, we’re not on it but there’s a chance that we’ll be discussing it soon,” he said. “If there is a sequel, it will take place in a Paris that is entirely submerged under water.”
Since its release on 5 June, Under Paris has become the most successful launch for a non-English language film on Netflix with 41 million views in its five first days on the service.
While the film has received middling reviews from critics, many Netflix users praised it on social media and urged prospective viewers to sit back and enjoy the film’s silliness.
Among the fans is celebrated horror author Stephen King, who wrote on X on Thursday (13 June): “I thought UNDER PARIS would be a jokey movie, like SHARKNADO, but Twitter convinced me to give it a watch, and it’s really quite good.”
King was particularly impressed by the final act, adding: “The last 25 minutes were amazing.”
In the film’s final scenes, a rampage of sharks set off World War II bombs that have lain untriggered on the river bed of the Seine, leading to an enormous tidal wave that submerges the city.
Under Paris arrived a month before the Olympics begin in the French capital. Locals are currently planning a filthy protest as they say much-needed funds are being wasted on the games while neighbourhoods in the city struggle with poverty.
Asked by Variety if his film targets the Olympics, Gens responded: “We’re targeting everyone! Not just the Olympics. We’re anticipating the media circus that will go on this summer, and riffing on the ideology that’s put forward around the Olympics.
“In principle, the Olympics are all about bringing people from everywhere in the world, all together. And that’s great, and virtuous. But there is also a lot of hypocrisy and a commercial ideology behind this which I don’t support.”
Under Paris is out now on Netflix.
