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Crawl

Crawl is a 2019 American natural horror film directed by Alexandre Aja.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Crawl is a 2019 American natural horror film directed by Alexandre Aja. It follows a daughter and father trapped in their Florida home during a Category 5 hurricane while being hunted by alligators. The film was released by Paramount Pictures and became a critical and commercial success.

Premise

The story is set in Florida during a major hurricane, where a daughter returns home to find her injured father trapped in the family house. The situation worsens as alligators enter the flooded home and the pair struggle to survive.

Production

Crawl was directed by Alexandre Aja and produced by Aja, Sam Raimi, and Craig Flores. The screenplay was written by Michael and Shawn Rasmussen.

Release

The film premiered in the United States on July 12, 2019, through Paramount Pictures. It did not follow a typical critics-first pre-release screening pattern before its debut.

Reception

The film was a commercial success and was described as critically well received. Review coverage highlighted its pacing, tension, direction, action, and visual effects.

Key facts

  • The film centres on Haley and her father Dave, who are trapped in a crawl space as floodwaters rise during a hurricane.
  • It stars Kaya Scodelario and Barry Pepper.
  • The film was distributed by Paramount Pictures.
  • It received generally positive reviews for its action, pacing, direction, and visual effects.
  • It grossed about $91 million against a production budget of roughly $13.5–$15 million.
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Canadian context

Crawl was distributed in Canada by Paramount Pictures and was reviewed and released as part of the wider North American theatrical market.

Frequently asked questions

What is Crawl about?
It is about a woman and her father trapped in their flooded Florida home during a hurricane, where they are attacked by alligators.
Who directed Crawl?
Crawl was directed by Alexandre Aja.
Who stars in Crawl?
The film stars Kaya Scodelario and Barry Pepper.
When was Crawl released?
It was released in the United States on July 12, 2019.
Was Crawl a box-office success?
Yes. It grossed about $91 million on a production budget estimated at $13.5–$15 million.

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crawl_(2019_film)
    Supports: Directed by Alexandre Aja; produced by Aja, Sam Raimi, and Craig Flores; starred Kaya Scodelario and Barry Pepper; release date; plot; box office; reception
  2. Rotten Tomatoes — https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/crawl_2019
    Supports: Synopsis, director, producers, screenwriters, distributor, runtime, release date, genre, and box office figures
  3. IMDb — https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8364368/
    Supports: Film title, year, runtime, genre, and plot premise
  4. Movie Insider — https://www.movieinsider.com/m16399/crawl
    Supports: U.S. release timing and premise
  5. Wikipedia — https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crawl
    Supports: Disambiguation showing the 2019 film among other uses of the title