Shark Week 2024 Full Schedule Released by Discovery

The annual celebration of the fascinating fish kicks off on Discovery on July 7th.

By Patrick Cavanaugh

One of the most beloved annual celebrations on TV is Discovery's Shark Week, which spends a full seven days devoted to the impressive creatures. This year's event will be hosted by John Cena and will bring with it a number of all-new deep dives (pun intended) into all corners of the ocean to deliver audiences the safest way to get up close and personal with the fish. In addition to Discovery delivering audiences fan-favorite specials, we'll also get follow-ups to some of these specials, which all continue to shed insight into sharks the way only Discovery can do.

"I usually do Shark Week from my couch -- with lots of snacks, but this year I'm beyond excited to host the week dedicated to the endlessly fascinating, action heroes of the Ocean," John Cena shared in a statement. "It's a wild week of shocking new footage, new discoveries, and lots and lots of teeth." 

Per press release, "Thrilling encounters with apex predators, epic deep-sea expeditions, and weighty concerns about the poop from the fattest white sharks patrolling the waters are just a few of the extraordinary stories that will emerge during Discovery Channel's Shark Week, beginning Sunday, July 7th at 8 p.m. ET. Host John Cena will guide viewers through 21 hours of new programming and preview each night's top moments alongside interviews with fan-favorite shark experts."

"The highly anticipated annual week-long celebration of sharks will include the next chapter of the hit show Belly of the Beast, that offers a terrifying and fascinating real look at a Great White shark feeding frenzy; Monster Hammerheads: Species X, that follows a potential new hammerhead species; and Great White Serial Killer: Sea of Blood, that investigates a massive shark who decapitates its victim and terrorizes a local village."

Scroll down to see the complete schedule for this year's Shark Week, which kicks off on Discovery on Sunday, July 7th and will stream on Max.

Sunday, July 7th

Belly of the Beast: Bigger and Bloodier – premieres at 8 p.m. ET on Discovery

  • One of last year's most popular Shark Week shows returns. Marine biologist Dr. Austin Gallagher, marine scientist Liv Dixon, and legendary cameraman Kina Scollay travel to a new location and head back into the belly of a 29-foot whale decoy with new shark attractant features to create the biggest feeding frenzy ever with 18-foot "Breeder" sharks in New Zealand.

Jaws vs Leviathan – premieres at 9 p.m. ET on Discovery

  • Orcas and other toothed whales are attacking Great Whites in record numbers, marking the latest chapter in a 60-million-year battle between Sharks and Whales. This rivalry began with The Leviathan, a prehistoric whale that once went tooth to tooth with the greatest predator to ever swim the oceans...The Meg. Now, Dr. Tristan Guttridge, Dr. Sona Kim, and Kina Scollay recreate these epic battles and study orca tactics to discover the ultimate predator.

Makozilla – premieres at 10 p.m. ET on Discovery

  • A wave of savage assaults against the sea lion population off California's coast has sparked fears of a monstrous predator dubbed "Mako-Zilla." Recent discoveries, including a 600-pound mauled sea lion with massive gashes, hint that a 16-foot-long predator could be responsible. A team of shark experts, including bite specialist Jeff Harris and Dr. Craig O'Connell, embark on a mission to unveil the identity of the colossal predator haunting the coast.

Sydney Harbor Shark Invasion – premieres at 11 p.m. ET on Discovery

  • Returning to the site of his own 2009 shark attack for the first time, Paul de Gelder joins Madison Stewart to investigate a recent Great White Shark attack that occurred near Sydney Harbor, Australia -- the first fatal incident in the region in almost 60 years. The dramatic encounter, which was captured on camera, was the sixth attack to occur in as many weeks. Within this aquatic arena, Great Whites contend with Bull Sharks, Tiger Sharks, and even humans in a colossal battle for supremacy. The unfolding saga raises the compelling question of who will emerge victorious in this intense struggle for dominance.

Monday, July 8th

Big Shark Energy – premieres at 8 p.m. ET on Discovery

  • Shark experts Dr. Riley Elliott and Kori Burkhardt put on a one-of-a-kind shark competition to determine which male Great White Shark is the alpha in a pack of massive adults. In the waters off New Zealand, they compare the sharks' speed, hunting ability, and fearlessness to determine who has the swagger to swim away with a female shark.

Shark Frenzy: Mating Games – premieres at 9 p.m. ET on Discovery

  • Dr. Craig O'Connell explores the love lives of Oceanic White Tips & Tiger Sharks, suggesting that feeding frenzies spark romance vital for species survival. Armed with advanced gear, he orchestrates feeding events to uncover the mating link, which is crucial for species protection.

Great White Serial Killer: Sea of Blood – premieres at 10 p.m. ET on Discovery

  • After two fatal Great White shark attacks occurred off a small Mexican fishing village -- including one in which a victim was decapitated -- shark attack survivor Paul De Gelder joins shark investigator Brandon McMillan and local biologist Gador Mutaner to launch a plan to ID the killers and keep the villagers in the Sea of Cortez safe.

Encores run at 11 p.m. ET on Discovery

Tuesday, July 9th

Deadliest Bite – premieres at 8 p.m. ET on Discovery

  • Using cutting-edge technology, Dr. Tristan Guttridge, Annie Guttridge, Paul De Gelder, and Skye Minnis unveil the secrets of Bull, Tiger, Hammerhead, Great White, and rare shark species' jaw mechanics and delve deep into how these sharks' jaws and teeth deliver lethal attacks.

6000lb. Shark – premieres at 9 p.m. ET on Discovery

  • Marine Biologists Tom "The Blowfish" Hird and Leigh de Necker go searching for the fattest Great White Sharks off the coast of New Zealand and attempt to obtain their poop to study what they are eating. Using cutting-edge science, they aim to weigh a great white accurately for the first time, revealing if they can reach a staggering 6,000 pounds.

Monster Hammerheads: Species X – premieres at 10 p.m. ET on Discovery

  • Dr. Austin Gallagher and his team of researchers including Liv Dixon, Zandi Ndhlovu, and Dr. Tristan Guttridge, investigate an aggressive population of Hammerhead Sharks in Turks and Caicos, which they believe could be an entirely new species.

Encores run at 11 p.m. ET on Discovery

Wednesday, July 10th

Great White North – premieres at 8 p.m. ET on Discovery

  • There's a growing population of aggressive White Sharks in an unlikely location, Canada. Shark expert Andy Casagrande heads out on an expedition along Nova Scotia's coast to investigate a surge of Great White Shark encounters and figure out if this new population could be the largest in the world.

Expedition Unknown: Shark Wrecks of WWII – premieres at 9 p.m. ET on Discovery

  • Global adventurer Josh Gates and shark biologist Tristan Guttridge team up with nature's deadliest predator to search for a lost wreck sunk by a Nazi U-Boat during World War II.

Alien Sharks: Ghosts of Japan – premieres at 10 p.m. ET on Discovery

  • Japan's waters are home to the largest diversity of shark species on the planet, most of which take otherworldly forms. Wildlife biologist Forrest Galante, along with deep-sea marine scientist Christina de Silva and deep-water surveyors, track down and study these alien sharks in their mission to uncover whether the critically endangered Angel Shark remains in Japan's waters. Along the way, Forrest will uncover 17 different and unique species and witness the births of little-known Velvet Dogfish sharks.

Encores run at 11 p.m. ET on Discovery

Thursday, July 11th

Monster of Oz – premieres at 8 p.m. ET on Discovery

  • In southwestern Australia, an unknown predator with a taste for Great White and Mako Sharks ignites fears of sea monsters in the abyss. Filmmakers Dave and Jennene Riggs join Dr. Tristan Guttridge and Rosie Moore in attempt to track down the killer.

Caught! When Sharks Attack – premieres at 9 p.m. ET on Discovery

  • Researchers are witnessing an unusual amount of shark aggression and attacks. A team of experts will analyze the most intense shark encounters Caught! on camera, unveiling mysterious new behaviors within these dangerous interactions.

Great White Danger Zone – premieres at 10 p.m. ET on Discovery

  • Alison Towner and her team investigate a new Great White hotspot off the coast of South Africa. Equipped with cutting-edge fin cameras, tracking tags, and underwater surveillance, researchers unveil unusual behavior in these massive apex predators.

Encores run at 11 p.m. ET on Discovery

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Friday, July 12th

The Real Sharkano – premieres at 8 p.m. ET on Discovery

  • Shark advocate and attack survivor Paul De Gelder visits an ultra-remote island of shark-worshiping natives to see if their secret ways of swimming with deadly sharks hold the secret to humans and sharks living together in peace.

Sharks of the Dead Zone – premieres at 9 p.m. ET on Discovery

  • Significant marine pollution and algal bloom outbreaks are creating eerie dead zones in North America's most biodiverse estuary. Dr. Tiara Moore, along with Dr. Craig O'Connell, explores whether Bull Sharks can persist in the Indian River Lagoon, a vital nursery, despite the oxygen-depleted waters. Her mission could unlock the secrets to shark survival in changing oceans.

Shark Attack Island – premieres at 10 p.m. ET on Discovery

  • A South Pacific paradise has become a shark attack hot spot with Bull, Tiger, and Great White sharks moving closer and closer to the resort beaches, fatally attacking seven people in the last five years. Dr. Riley Elliot, Paul De Gelder, and Kori Burkhardt conduct experiments to identify the species responsible and find out why they are attacking.

Encores run at 11 p.m. ET on Discovery

Saturday, July 13th

Sharktopia – premieres at 8 p.m. ET on Discovery

  • In Indonesia's Raja Ampat Islands, a team of researchers hunt for one of the region's last living leopard sharks. But as they venture deeper into the unknown, the journey brings them face to face with some of the weirdest and wildest sharks on earth.

Mothersharker: Hammer Time – premieres at 9 p.m. ET on Discovery

  • Using the latest underwater ultrasound and birthing tag technology, researchers Dr. James Sulikowski and Beckah Campbell aim to solve the mystery of where the elusive pregnant scalloped hammerheads give birth -- and it may be closer than anyone realizes.

Encores run at 10 p.m. ET and 11 p.m. ET on Discovery

Shark Week kicks off on Discovery on Sunday, July 7th.

Which show are you most excited for? Contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

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