Is an OceanGate Titan submersible film actually in the works? Explained

The shocking Titan submersible tragedy, that took place in June 2023, is reportedly being made into a film. In an exclusive report, Deadline stated that it will be a fictional project and will have E. Brian Dobbins of The Blackening and Black-ish fame as the co-producer. The casting for the film isn't done yet, according to the publication.

The film is being backed by MindRiot Entertainment and has no release date attached to it as yet. It is worth noting that MindRiot Entertainment is also backing a docuseries around the Titan submersible tragedy. The report in Deadline also noted that the film and the docuseries will both be called Salvaged.

MindRiot’s Justin MacGregor and Jonathan Keasey have been enlisted as writers for the feature. The film is expected to chronicle the pre-, during, and post-tragedy timeline. So yes, an OceanGate Titan submersible film is actually in the works.

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The OceanGate Titan submersible film will ‘honor’ all those who were involved

The Titan submersible implosion took place on June 18, 2023, and killed all five people aboard the submersible. They included OceanGate’s CEO Stockton Rush, French deep-sea explorer and Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet, British businessman Hamish Harding, and Pakistani-British businessman Shahzada Dawood along with his son Suleman.

OceanGate was the operator of the submersible, which was reportedly not certified for safety. The vessel was on an expedition to the North Atlantic Ocean to view the Titanic’s wreckage but it ironically imploded near the site. The implosion reportedly happened on the day that the submersible went on the voyage but was only reported five days later on June 22, 2023.

Talking about the maritime disaster, Keasey called the "Titan Tragedy" another example of a "misinformed and quick-to-pounce system." The co-writer of the upcoming film said that in the case of the submersible, it was the nonstop 24*7 media cycle that "convicts and ruins the lives of so many people without any due process.”

The licensed lawyer-turned-filmmaker added:

“Our film will not only honor all those involved in the submersible tragedy, and their families, but the feature will serve as a vessel that also addresses a more macro concern about the nature of media today.”

He indicated that what the media reported about the tragedy may not be all true. Jonathan said that the “world has a right to know the truth, always, not the salacious bait crammed down our throats by those seeking their five minutes of fame.”

The docuseries, on the other hand, will be on the life of Kyle Bingham, who was OceanGate’s mission director for five years from 2018. He led two expeditions to the Titanic debris site successfully, one in 2021 and another the year after in 2022. Even though it might not be the focus, the docuseries will capture the Titan submersible tragedy in quite a few frames, Deadline reported.

Earlier in July, there were numerous rumors about James Cameron eyeing to make a film on the Titan submersible tragedy. The ace filmmaker, who has visited the Titanic wreck site more than 30 times, shot down the speculations as soon as it surfaced.

Cameron, who usually doesn’t react to such news, wasted no time responding to the “offensive” rumors circulating in his name. He took to X (formerly Twitter) and wrote:

“I don’t respond to offensive rumors in the media usually, but I need to now…I’m NOT in talks about an OceanGate film, nor will I ever be.”

The 69-year-old Canadian director, whose last film Avatar: The Way of Water set the box office on fire and broke several records, is now busy with its two sequels. For now, titled Avatar 3 and Avatar 4, the films are slated to be released in 2025 and 2029, respectively.