Michael Packard attends Whalefall screening in Times Square

Michael Packard Sees Whalefall in Times Square After Surviving a 2021 Whale Encounter

Michael Packard, a 62-year-old lobster diver who survived being trapped inside the mouth of a whale in June 2021, attended a preview screening of the new survival film “Whalefall” in Times Square. Starring Austin Abrams and Josh Brolin, the movie opens nationwide on Friday, October 16, bringing a visceral, claustrophobic narrative about a scuba diver swallowed by a sperm whale to the big screen. Again and again before the screening, Packard told the CliffsNotes version of his story to those he met at a reception, explaining to the audience that included actors Josh Brolin and Austin Abrams, I wasn’t swallowed! and adding, I was trapped in its mouth. To which Brolin asked with his jaw agape, Seriously?!

The Real-Life Survival Story Versus the Fiction on Screen

While the film is adapted from Daniel Kraus’s 2023 novel rather than Packard’s specific biography, the parallels remain striking. On June 11, 2021, Packard was diving off Provincetown when he was struck by what felt like a freight train, plunged into darkness, and held in the mouth of a 40-ton whale for roughly 30 to 45 seconds before being spat out. Inside the whale, alongside toxic air and pools of stomach acid, Jay also has to do battle with a vicious 42-foot-long giant squid stuffed inside the same cramped space.

Critics Diverge on Feature Film Premise

Critics diverge sharply on how well the premise translates to a feature-length film.

Packard Shares Survival Story Through Media Appearances

Since his 2021 ordeal, Packard has continuously revisited his story across various media platforms, appearing on television programs and now engaging with audiences at promotional events. Reflecting on the shared emotional resonance of his survival and the cinematic storytelling, Packard noted, I don’t know what the word is, dude. I don’t make people happy, but I make them … amazed. Amazed. It brings out a lot of emotion.

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