Shark Week 2026 Kicks Off, Featuring K-Pop Sharks, Atomic Sharks and More

Back in 1988, Discovery introduced its first-ever Shark Week, seven days of programming focused solely on sharks.

That was a big hit, becoming an annual summertime tradition that returns for its 38th edition this week. Once again, shark-crazy viewers can binge on a week’s worth of programming devoted to the sharp-toothed ocean predators.

This year brings a plethora of new programming, including the likes of “The Masked Singer” star Ken Jeong and an endless array of shark species doing what they do best.

‘K-Pop Shark Heroes’

A series of shark encounters have recently taken place off the Korean Peninsula. To get to the bottom of it, actor and comedian Ken Jeong teams up with K-Pop star and shark aficionado REI AMI, embarking “on a mission to reshape the perception of sharks across East Asia and around the globe, fueled by the power of K-pop.”

As a bonus, the two also debut the first-ever official Shark Week song, “Om-A-Nom (Shark Week).” Premieres: Sunday, July 26 at 8 p.m. ET/PT

‘Air Jaws: Red, White and Breach‘

A new phenomenon is taking place along the California coastline as great white sharks are breaching like never before. Increasingly, this behavior is captured on film.

This “Air Jaws” special follows filmmaker Jeff Kurr, marine biologist Alison Towner and cinematographer Andy Casagrande as they attempt to film up-close footage of this unprecedented behavior “and uncover the secrets behind the Great American Breach.” Premieres: Sunday, July 26 at 9 p.m. ET/PT

‘Invasion of the Mega Sharks’

Shark researcher Dr. Neil Hammerschlag is joined by Shark Week expert Paul de Gelder to lead a team on a high-risk mission to track down a massive great white known as “Big Rose,” believed to be one of North Atlantic’s largest predators. “Using innovative tagging technology and daring field operations, they venture to a newly discovered shark hotspot off Nova Scotia aiming to transform our understanding of these ocean giants.” Premieres: Sunday, July 26 at 10 p.m. ET/PT

Encores run at 11PM ET/PT on Discovery.

‘Bull Shark Dinner Bell’

Shark attack survivor Paul De Gelder joins forces with apex predator specialist Rosie Moore in Jupiter, Florida. Their goal is “to investigate what triggers giant bull sharks to confront humans, testing human behavior in the ocean, extreme weather events and prey preferences to determine what factors ring the loudest dinner bell.” Premieres: Monday, July 27 at 8 p.m. ET/PT

‘House of Sharks’

A hidden shark battleground is concealed off the coast of New Zealand, where three distinct groups of great whites organize into competing “houses” — and may actually be competing to gain control of a major seal feeding ground. “Marine biologist Dr. Tristan Guttridge and underwater cinematographer Kina Scollay venture into the middle of the action on an epic expedition, using brand new builds and massive blood bombs to document this new competitive behavior,” shares the synopsis. “As they investigate, they uncover the possibility that these clans of great whites recognize kin and return season after season to their ancestral territories, raising the theory that these predators aren’t solitary hunters, but rival dynasties at war.” Premieres: Monday, July 27 at 9 p.m. ET/PT

‘Biggest Mako on Earth’

For decades, there have been rumors that huge mako sharks — measuring 15 to 20 feet in length — patrol the deep waters off Southern California. “Long dismissed as fishermen’s tales, new footage, along with a recently published photo capturing a mako that appears to push 15 feet, is now forcing scientists to rethink everything they know about these oceanic apex predators. Marine biologist Tristan Guttridge, alongside conservationist Kendyl Berna and shark tagger Keith Poe, leads an investigation to determine whether the world’s biggest mako is real — and hunting in the coastal waters of Santa Catalina.” Premieres: Monday, July 27 at 10 p.m. ET/PT

‘Jurassic Sharks’

Described as “a Shark Week first,” this special uses state-of-the-art CGI to resurrect “the ocean’s most bizarre Jurassic sharks, bringing them to life like never before. Guided by the rare living sharks that once shared their seas, real-world expeditions seamlessly merge with cutting-edge visual effects to uncover stories from the deep and prehistoric seas in ways never before possible.” Premieres: Tuesday, July 28 at 8 p.m. ET/PT

‘Jaws vs Orca’

“For millennia, the great white shark has reigned as the ocean’s ultimate apex predator.” notes the synopsis. “But now, a new challenger is emerging: the killer whale. Around the world, sharks are washing ashore with their livers removed with chilling precision while in the Strait of Gibraltar, orcas are targeting sailboats — ramming hulls, crippling rudders, and sinking vessels. To investigate this alarming shift in behavior, Dr. Tristan Guttridge places himself directly in the path of an orca encounter, using their attacks on boats to reveal how these predators hunt and ultimately, how they may be taking down great white sharks.” Premieres: Tuesday, July 28 at 9 p.m. ET/PT

‘Chum Island: Catching a Killer’

Get ready for a “Shark Week whodunit,” in which “a rare surge of highly aggressive shark attacks hit a tight-knit community off Australia’s southern coast, prompting marine biologist Dr. Riley Elliott to find and tag the oceanic suspects. But when he discovers this could be a new, elusive population of sharks, he builds the world’s first ‘chum island’ to lure them in and uncover if they are the ones responsible for the attacks.” Premieres: Tuesday, July 28 at 10 p.m. ET/PT

‘Expedition X: Atomic Sharks‘

Phil Torres and Heather Amaro travel to the remote Marshall Islands, 5,000 miles off America’s west coast. There, they visit “the world’s largest shark sanctuary, where apex predators are exhibiting highly aggressive behaviors and erratic swimming patterns. Between 1946 and 1958, the United States military detonated 67 nuclear bombs around the island, raising questions about their lasting impact on marine life. Now, the team dives into these dangerous waters to investigate reports of ‘mutant’ sharks and uncover whether atomic blasts could be to blame.” “Premieres: Wednesday, July 29 at 8 p.m. ET/PT

‘Expedition Unknown: Shark Secrets‘

Josh Gates takes a trip back in time, diving into the history of the world’s most infamous shark encounters, “from the earliest known shark attack to the mystery surrounding the shark feeding frenzy faced by sailors following the sinking of the USS Indianapolis in remote waters. He also investigates the legendary ‘Stronsay Beast,’ a mysterious creature that washed ashore in Scotland in 1808, long thought to be a sea monster. But could it in fact be the remains of a massive shark?” Premieres: Wednesday, July 29 at 9 p.m. ET/PT

‘Alien Sharks: Untamed America‘

Per the synopsis: “In celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, wildlife biologist Forrest Galante embarks on a nationwide quest to find the nation’s most bizarre and dangerous alien sharks – from glowing swell sharks to elusive sawfish — proving the ultimate shark adventure is right here at home.” Premieres: Wednesday, July 29 at 10 p.m. ET/PT

‘What Shark Attacked?‘

It’s highly rare for humans to be attacked by sharks, but when it does happen the first question is always the same: what kind of shark was it? “Leading shark scientists Tom ‘Blowfish’ Hird and Rosie Moore, alongside conservationist Kinga Phillips, investigate mysterious attacks from around the world using cutting-edge forensic analysis — including bite pattern comparison, geographic profiling, video evidence, and eyewitness testimony — to identify the species responsible and uncover why these life-threatening encounters occur.” Premieres: Thursday, July 30 at 8 p.m. ET/PT

‘How to Train a Great White‘

This special follows Marine biologist Dr. Tristan Guttridge as he ventures into New Zealand’s shark-infested waters to answer a provocative question: is it possible to train a shark? “Using techniques pioneered by the U.S. Navy to train dolphins in complex cognitive tasks, the team applies similar methods to great white sharks, testing whether these apex predators can learn, solve problems, and respond to cues. If successful, the experiment can potentially redefine shark intelligence and transform our understanding of one of the ocean’s most misunderstood predators.” Premieres: Thursday, July 30 at 9 p.m. ET/PT

‘Ultimate Shark Dive‘

“World-class Red Bull high diver Molly Carlson leaps from a helicopter hovering above the open ocean in a bid to complete the highest freefall dive in Shark Week history, targeting a narrow plexiglass cage surrounded by circling reef sharks, or risking a direct plunge into a chum-filled feeding frenzy where seconds mean survival,” the synopsis explains. “From concept to execution, this fearless athlete will push herself to the limit with a record-setting stunt that no high diver has ever attempted. “Premieres: Thursday, July 30 at 10 p.m. ET/PT

‘Secrets of the Great White Kill‘

For centuries, it’s been believed that great white sharks simply stalk their prey. “Now, groundbreaking science believes that these alpha sharks are highly intelligent predators that adapt their hunting techniques in real time. For the first time on Shark Week, the full range of great white hunting tactics will be revealed, reinforcing their status as one of the ocean’s top predator.” Premieres: Friday, July 31 at 8 p.m. ET/PT

‘Sharkzilla Takes New York’

A wave of mauled marine life has been washing ashore in New York, and conservation biologist Dr. Craig O’Connell is launching an investigation to discover the culprit. “When it leads to an old nuclear dumping ground teaming with great whites and makos, he is left with the chilling theory that the predator may be radioactive. A deeper dive reveals an unexpected hotspot for massive makos off the coast of the Hamptons, suggesting that these waters may be hiding something even bigger beneath the surface.” Premieres: Friday, July 31 at 9 p.m. ET/PT

‘My Strange Shark Addiction’

There are many people obsessed with sharks — which is why Shark Week remains so enduring popular — but this special introduces some shark fans who’ve taken their hobby to a whole other level. “For four devoted shark ‘fin-atics,’ their obsession shapes every aspect of their lives,” notes the synopsis. “From a dentist who spends every spare moment searching for life-size shark replicas that overwhelm his home to a woman who insists she has a special connection with her shark ‘boyfriend,’ and a world record holder covered in shark tattoos, this special explores how their daily routines, relationships, and finances revolve entirely around the apex predators they can’t live without.” Premieres: Friday, July 31 at 10 p.m. ET/PT

‘Great White Highway’

“Great white sharks are pushing farther up the East coast than ever before and in far greater numbers leading to close encounters, forcing beach closures, and leaving locals wondering where the next attack could happen,” reads this special’s synopsis. “Now, a daring team of shark scientists race to install high-tech receivers and tag as many great whites as possible before another harrowing incident rocks the country.” Premieres: Saturday, August 1 at 8 p.m. ET/PT

‘Thresher Shark: Stun to Kill‘

The thresher shark is distinguished by its devastating tail strike, but the physics behind it have long been a mystery — until now. “For the first time ever, the discovery of a shallow-water feeding ground has made observing this behavior possible. Now, shark scientist Dr. Craig O’Connell and marine biologist Aliah Banchik dive into the direct line of fire as they attempt to reveal exactly how these predators use their tails to stun and kill.” Premieres: Saturday, August 1 at 9 p.m. ET/PT