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Discovery
Shark Week 2019's Lineup Features Its First Ever Original Movie

by Mariella Mosthof
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Shark Week celebrated three decades on air last year, but Discovery Channel's annual summer event is still going strong with tons of new content this year. The Shark Week 2019 lineup even features the event's first ever scripted feature-length film, based on the true story of a 1982 shark encounter. But aside from that, viewers tuning into Shark Week can expect a fresh crop of nature documentaries from leading marine biologists and science institutions telling all-new shark stories and revealing and all the cool stuff the community has learned about sharks in the past year.

Shark Week 2019 kicks off Sunday, Jul. 28 with new original programming airing during primetime hours. It runs through Sunday, Aug. 4, when you'll be able to catch up on the best of Shark Week with encore episodes of all the stuff you may have missed during the week. You can also download the Discovery GO app for exclusive bonus footage, and visit the official website for Shark Week viewing party inspo. Following Shark Week on Snapchat, meanwhile, gets you access to footage of shark expert Luke Tipple testing popular shark myths in the Bahamas. New episodes drop on Snapchat Jul. 28, Jul. 30, and Aug. 1.

Here's more of what you can expect from Shark Week 2019.

'Expedition Unknown: Megalodon' – Sunday, Jul. 28 at 8pm ET

If The Meg was you favorite monster movie in recent memory, then you'll want to tune in to Expedition Unknown: Megalodon on night one of Shark Week. Paleontologists and marine biologists dive into the prehistoric shark ancestor, analyzing what contributed to its extinction and how the 60-ton T-Rex of the sea ruled the ocean for nearly 20 million years.

'Shark Trip: Eat. Prey. Chum.' — Sunday, Jul. 28 at 9pm ET

Of course, it wouldn't be Shark Week without some celebrities swimming with sharks, and this year, former The Daily Show correspondent Rob Riggle is trying to talk his celebrity friends into it on Shark Trip: Eat. Prey. Chum.

'Sharks of the Badlands' – Monday, Jul. 29 at 8pm ET

If what you really need is some local shark action, then you can tune into Shark of the Badlands on Monday, Jul. 29 to learn all about the sharks swimming off the coast of Cape Cod. According to the special's synopsis: "This year alone a record 150 white sharks were recorded off the coast, and for the first time in 80 years, a white shark attack turned fatal." Seems fun!

'Legend of Deep Blue' – Airing Monday, Jul. 29 at 9pm ET

If you're looking for some modern-day mega-shark action, Legend of Deep Blue takes shark experts to Guadalupe Island to track what is believed to be the largest great white shark in the world. She measures almost 21 feet long and over two-and-a-half tons.

'Extinct or Alive: The Lost Shark' – Airing Wednesday, Jul. 31 at 8pm

Another mystery documentary, Extinct or Alive: The Lost Shark embarks on a mission to track down the supposedly extinct Pondicherry shark in the vast Indian Ocean. Last spotted in the 1970s, the Pondicherry was known for its ability to osmoregulate, or swim in both salt and freshwater. A mysterious species of shark has been spotted recently near Sri Lanka and the Maldives, and shark experts have a hunch it may be the lost Pondicherry.

'Capsized: Blood in the Water' – Airing Wednesday, Jul. 31 at 9pm ET

Shark Week's signature event this year is Capsized: Blood in the Water, a feature-length scripted film based on the true story of a yacht that capsized in tiger shark-infested waters off the coast of Florida in 1982. The film stars Josh Duhamel, Tyler Blackburn, Rebekah Graf, Beau Garrett, and Josh Close.

'I Was Prey: Shark Week' – Airing Friday, Aug. 2 at 10pm ET

If, for some reason, people's completely terrifying real-life shark encounters fascinate you, then you won't want to miss I Was Prey: Shark Week, which tells the story of several shark encounter survivors. Who knows, maybe you'll pick up some tips on how to survive your own brush with death?

But all this shark content is just a highlights reel. You can check out the complete guide to all 18 specials Discovery Channel has planned for this year's Shark Week here.

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