Earlier this month, KISS icon Gene Simmons fired back at fans who criticized him for launching another business venture. Now, the legendary rock star is ready to 'rock your socks off' with his new shark thriller, Deep Water.
Even before the band he co-founded in 1973 wrapped up its final concert tour in 2023, Simmons, 76, was already preparing his next project: producing movies alongside Gary Hamilton. As they promoted their first release, Deep Water, now playing in theatres, some fans complained about Simmons' knack for finding new revenue streams.
'How about this. Stop looking at my plate,' Simmons told a detractor on X. 'What makes me happy is to never stop, and continue to add value to my family, their future generations, to charity, and to these blessed United States of America. Sending good wishes to you.'
Speaking to Postmedia from Los Angeles, Simmons explained that his move into film production stems from a desire to constantly challenge himself. 'You and I know the same thing. At the end of today, we’re going to be alive one less day,' he said. 'So what do you want to do? If God gave you one extra day of life, do you want to coast through it, doing the usual, ordinary stuff? Or do you want to be associated with extraordinary things so at the end of the night you go, “Wow, what a day that was.”'
When Variety announced the venture in 2023, Simmons/Hamilton Productions stated its goal is to release 25 movies over an initial five-year period. Simmons is seeking titles with box office potential, and Deep Water fits the bill as a summer blockbuster.
Inspired by 1970s disaster movies, Deep Water casts Aaron Eckhart and Ben Kingsley as pilots captaining an airliner flying from Los Angeles to Shanghai that crashes into shark-infested waters in the Pacific Ocean mid-flight. As they wait for rescue, survivors must fend off hungry sharks circling for the kill.
Simmons was hooked when he read the script and immediately tapped Die Hard 2 filmmaker Renny Harlin to direct the survival thriller. 'If I can’t physically do it myself, or if I don’t have the imagination or the ability to do that, I certainly want to get close to the greats. People who can do great things, so I can be a part of that,' Simmons said. 'I can tell you after all this hard work, the script, the talent, Sir Ben Kingsley, Aaron Eckhart, what Renny has been able to achieve with this motion picture, I’m so proud of it … It’s a killer. It’s gonna rock everybody’s world.'
Harlin is no stranger to the shark genre, having directed 1999's Deep Blue Sea. He believes underwater predators are Hollywood's most bankable on-screen villains because they allow moviemakers to place ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. 'Any time we go in the water, it’s the great unknown,' said the 67-year-old director. 'When we go into their world there’s nothing we can do about it, but just hope for the best.'
Sharksploitation flicks have continually found audiences because the stories are 'endlessly fascinating.' 'It’s the whole element of the ocean. It’s not our environment. But sharks are not evil … they’re just animals. It would be the same thing if you were dropped into a jungle full of lions. They would just make a meal out of you,' Harlin said. 'The same thing will happen in the ocean if you happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.'
Ahead of the Los Angeles premiere Monday night, Simmons planned to welcome 'friends and enemies' to see Deep Water in cinemas. 'Everybody wants to go see this movie. You’ve seen it, you know what I mean. This is gonna rock everybody’s socks off,' he said.
As for his next move, Simmons, who is set to tour parts of Canada later this year, will decide later. 'Tomorrow, I’ll figure everything else out,' he said. 'There’s a word we don’t say enough, and that’s “pride.” This is a movie to be proud of. It’s a great film for people of all ages and all walks of life.' He offered one final piece of advice: 'Don’t go alone. Bring people with you. This is one of those communal things that you have to see with other people.'
Deep Water is now playing in theatres.
