On May 21, 1962, the Italian ocean liner Antonia Graza is mid-voyage near the Labrador coast. In the ballroom, a singer in red gloves performs “Senza fine” while couples dance and the captain invites a solitary young girl, Katie, to the floor. Minutes later, she is the only person left standing in the room. The remainder of the film takes place forty years later, when a salvage crew encounters the abandoned ship drifting in the Bering Sea.

Known as Hayalet Gemi in Turkey, the film arrived on Netflix local charts in mid-October 2026 and quickly ascended to the number one position. It first premiered in theaters in early 2003.

What are the key facts about the film Ghost Ship?

Ghost Ship (2002) is a US-Australian production directed by Steve Beck and written by Mark Hanlon and John Pogue. Produced by Joel Silver, Robert Zemeckis, and Gilbert Adler under the Dark Castle Entertainment label, the 91-minute horror film stars Julianna Margulies, Gabriel Byrne, Ron Eldard, Desmond Harrington, Isaiah Washington, Karl Urban, and Emily Browning. Rated R in the US for violence, gore, and language, the film earned $68.3 million globally against a $20 million budget. This analysis focuses on the first half-hour of the film, avoiding details regarding the specific events of 1962 or the final resolution.

The Antonia Graza and the salvage tug Arctic Warrior
The Antonia Graza and the salvage tug Arctic Warrior that discovers it.

What is the premise of Ghost Ship?

Captain Sean Murphy (Gabriel Byrne) leads the salvage tug Arctic Warrior, a crew that sustains itself by recovering abandoned vessels. Alongside his second-in-command Maureen Epps (Julianna Margulies) and team members Greer, Dodge, Munder, and Santos, Murphy is approached by pilot Jack Ferriman (Desmond Harrington). Ferriman presents evidence of a massive, derelict ship drifting in international waters. Because the vessel is unclaimed, the salvage team stands to claim the ship and its cargo if they can bring it to port. They soon discover the wreck is the Antonia Graza, which vanished forty years prior. As the crew explores the ship, they find chests of gold, but Epps is haunted by sightings of a spectral young girl.

The ballroom of the Antonia Graza
1962, inside the ballroom of the Antonia Graza.

How did the original script for Ghost Ship change?

The film originated from a screenplay by Mark Hanlon titled Chimera. In a 2021 interview with Bloody Disgusting, Hanlon revealed that his initial draft was a grounded psychological thriller without supernatural elements, where the salvage crew turned on one another due to greed. Warner Bros. subsequently commissioned John Pogue to rewrite the script. Director Steve Beck noted in a 2020 commentary that the 9/11 attacks influenced the production, with the studio shifting the focus toward a more definitive battle between good and evil. According to Hanlon, the cast arrived on set expecting the darker, original version of the story.

What did critics think of Ghost Ship?

While the film received generally negative reviews upon its 2002 release, critics frequently praised the production design and the opening sequence. Roger Ebert noted the sequence’s dark humor and effective atmosphere, comparing the wreckage to the eeriness of Titanic documentaries. Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian praised the set design but viewed the narrative as derivative. In the New York Times, Stephen Holden criticized the film for being incoherent, while Le Vaisseau de l'angoisse (as it is known in France) was described by TéléCinéObs as a "floating Shining." Despite a 14% critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the film maintains a significant cult following among horror enthusiasts.

Is Ghost Ship worth watching today?

The film's most successful element is its atmosphere. The interior of the Antonia Graza was constructed in Queensland, Australia, utilizing a 1/20 scale model to create a claustrophobic, decaying environment. However, the film struggles with pacing as it devolves into a series of predictable hauntings. The jarring use of techno-scored flashbacks often clashes with the gothic tone of the ship. Viewers seeking atmospheric horror or late-90s Dark Castle aesthetics may find it entertaining, while those requiring a logical, high-stakes narrative may be disappointed by the final act.

Epps and her crew exploring the ship
Julianna Margulies as Epps, navigating the interior of the vessel.
Katie in the corridor
Emily Browning as Katie.

Notes and Sources

  1. FlixPatrol, Netflix Top 10 data, October 2026.
  2. JustWatch, streaming availability, October 2026.
  3. Box Office Mojo, Ghost Ship (2002) financial data.
  4. Beyazperde, user review data, 2026.
  5. Rotten Tomatoes, Ghost Ship critical and audience consensus, 2026.
  6. Roger Ebert, Ghost Ship review, 2002.
  7. Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian, 2003.
  8. Stephen Holden, The New York Times, 2002.
  9. Manohla Dargis, Los Angeles Times, 2002.
  10. Metacritic, Ghost Ship score compilation, 2026.
  11. AlloCiné, French critical reception, 2026.
  12. Jason Jenkins, Bloody Disgusting, "Chimera" original script analysis, 2021.
  13. Killer Horror Critic, Blu-ray collector's edition review, 2020.
  14. IMDb, audience rating statistics, 2026.
  15. Letterboxd, audience score, 2026.
  16. Wikipedia, "Ghost Ship (2002 film)" production and reception history, 2026.
  17. YouTube, Warner Bros. Rewind official trailer.