Melissa Barrera Dives Into Black Tides, Teaming With John Travolta In Renny Harlin’s Killer Whale Thriller

John Travolta is not messing around this year. About a month after digging into the AI horror thriller 'Ed' in Atlanta, he has already hopped to Spain for another one. Deadline says he is on the water in Gran Canaria shooting 'Black Tides,' a killer whale survival thriller with Renny Harlin calling the shots.

The setup

Travolta plays Bill Pierce, an estranged dad trying to patch things up with his daughter Rebecca and his grandson Sebastian. That reunion attempt takes a nasty turn when a pod of hostile orcas attacks their sailboat off the southern Spanish coast. Cue a fight to stay alive across open water.

Who is in it

• John Travolta as Bill Pierce
• Melissa Barrera (Scream 2022, Scream VI) as Rebecca, Bill's daughter
• Dylan Torrell (Islands) as Sebastian, Bill's grandson
• Ella Bleu Travolta (The Poison Rose), Travolta's real-life daughter, in the ensemble
• Álvaro Mel (A Perfect Story) also aboard

Behind the camera

'Black Tides' is directed by Renny Harlin, the guy behind 'Deep Blue Sea' and more 90s and 2000s action-thriller comfort food than most of us care to admit. The script is by Chris Sparling ('Greenland') and Ángel Agudo ('Apocalypse Z'). Adrián Guerra and Nuria Valls are producing for Nostromo Pictures. The production is currently filming in Gran Canaria, Spain.

Melissa brings both fire and vulnerability to a role that demands it all - emotionally, physically, and cinematically. She and John are movie magic together, and they elevate every beat of this story.

Shooting at sea is one of the hardest things you can do in film but the footage we are getting is stunning. The cast has bonded in a way that is rare and powerful, and Renny's directing chops are on full display - balancing raw spectacle with real human emotion.

Quick temperature check

Travolta vs orcas under Harlin is a very specific flavor, and I am not mad at it. Also fun: Melissa Barrera is playing Travolta's on-screen daughter while his actual daughter Ella Bleu is part of the cast too. It is a little bit of a high-wire act to shoot this stuff at sea, which the producers basically admit, but if the footage looks as good as they say, this could scratch that tense, pulpy survival itch.

Harlin's track record and what is next

If you are wondering how Harlin ended up back with apex predators, the man has history. His directing credits run the gamut: 'Born American,' 'Prison,' 'A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master,' 'Die Hard 2,' 'The Adventures of Ford Fairlane,' 'Cliffhanger,' 'Cutthroat Island,' 'The Long Kiss Goodnight,' 'Driven,' 'Mindhunters,' 'Exorcist: The Beginning,' 'The Covenant,' 'Cleaner,' '12 Rounds,' '5 Days of War,' 'Devil's Pass,' 'The Legend of Hercules,' 'Skiptrace,' 'Legend of the Ancient Sword,' 'Bodies at Rest,' 'The Misfits,' 'Reunion 3: Singles Cruise,' 'Refuge,' 'The Bricklayer,' 'The Strangers: Chapter 1,' and 'The Strangers: Chapter 2.' Up next for him: 'The Strangers: Chapter 3,' another shark thriller called 'Deep Water,' and 'The Beast' with Samuel L. Jackson.

I am in for 'Black Tides.' Travolta, Barrera, killer whales, Harlin, open water mayhem... it is a vibe. You?