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Watch the Full Michael Phelps vs Shark Race from #SharkWeek
Did Michael Phelps actually race a shark last night? Not quite.
The most highly publicized special for this year’s Shark Week was “Phelps vs. Shark,“ which kicked off the week-long celebration just last night. The special promised a race between Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps and a shark, but most viewers were left confused and angry when it failed to deliver as promised.
Granted, I’m not sure anyone actually expected that Michael Phelps would be thrown into the water with a shark, but what we got last night was a simulation featuring Phelps swimming alongside, well, nothing at all. A computer-generated shark was added into the water in post-production, allowing us to see what such a race *could* look like.
Yes, it was basically Phelps up against a shark from a Syfy movie. Sigh.
[Related] Here’s the Full “Shark Week” 2017 Schedule
The 100-meter race (dubbed “the battle for ocean supremacy”) was won by the CGI shark, beating Phelps by just two seconds. If you missed it, you can watch below.
All of us here at Bloody Disgusting are deeply sad to learn that The Blob director Chuck Russell has passed away at 74 years old.
Russell’s career began with his directorial debut, 1987’s A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors.
The multihyphenate film director, screenwriter, and producer is best known for helming 1994 comedy The Mask starring Jim Carrey, Arnold Schwarzenegger actioner Eraser, and adventure spinoff The Scorpion King. The latter served as the first leading role for Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
The filmmaker left an indelible mark on horror with his ANOES sequel, 1988’s The Blob, and 2000’s Bless the Child.
Russell’s final film credit is 2024’s Witchboard remake starring Madison Iseman (I Know What You Did Last Summer), Aaron Dominguez (Only Murders in the Building), and Jamie Campbell Bower (“Stranger Things”).
It marked Russell’s return to horror after a lengthy hiatus, and he shared sequel hopes to Bloody Disgusting in an interview ahead of the remake’s release: “I got to design the board with real mystical symbols and things that I know represent good and evil, and where that board takes us if the audiences respond to the film, and I hope they will; I know it’s out there for you guys, but the sequel is a world we’ll get to go a little further. That’s sure the intention.”
He also recently expressed interest in returning to the franchise that began his career.
TMZ notes that Russell passed away at his San Diego-area home.
We send our deepest condolences to Chuck Russell’s family, friends, and fans.
Director, Co-Writer & Producer Chuck Russell behind the scenes of the horror film, WITCHBOARD. Photo courtesy of The Avenue and Atlas Distribution
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