Netflix doc reveals the wild plan to get Pearl Jam on board the sub that imploded near the Titanic wreck.
We all know what happened to the Titan — the private sub that imploded in June 2023 on a descent to the Titanic wreck, killing all five on board, including OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush.
But Netflix’s Titan: The OceanGate Disaster just dropped a mind-blowing twist: according to filmmaker Joseph Assi, Rush actually wanted Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder to ride the Titan. Assi says the crew had “crazy ideas, like bringing Pearl Jam on board,” as part of Rush’s obsession with turning deep-sea dives into media events. It wasn’t just exploration for him — it was spectacle.
The Sub That Sank
The Titan was a five-seater built by OceanGate, founded by Stockton Rush and Guillermo Söhnlein in 2009. It was small, made of carbon fiber and titanium, and designed to reach depths around 3,800 meters. But here’s the kicker: it skipped official safety certifications. Rush thought rules slowed down innovation. That choice, as we now know, was fatal.
On June 18, 2023, while descending to the Titanic wreck off Newfoundland, Titan lost contact. Four days later, search teams found debris on the seafloor. The verdict? A sudden implosion, likely caused by pressure, crushed the sub — instantly killing everyone aboard.
Why Eddie Vedder & Pearl Jam?
This wasn’t random celebrity outreach. Rush had a very specific reason for picking Vedder. The Pearl Jam frontman has a lifelong connection to the ocean. Born in Chicago, raised by the waves in Cali, and now splitting time between Seattle and Hawaii, Vedder is the definition of “ocean soul.” His lyrics — Oceans, Big Wave, Amongst the Waves — are soaked in saltwater imagery.
He surfs. He’s an ocean activist. And to Rush, that made him the ideal symbol for Titan’s mission — someone authentic, iconic, with real sea cred. Rush wanted a hero for his narrative. A rock legend who sings about the deep, who knows the sea’s power and beauty. It wasn’t about science — it was about mythology.
There’s no evidence Vedder was ever contacted. But inside OceanGate, the “get Eddie on board” idea was floating around like a fantasy headline.
Fans React, Band Stays Quiet
Once the news hit Reddit and social media, fans were floored. “Vedder wouldn’t get on a paddleboard built by Rush, let alone that thing,” one user joked. Others pointed out the mismatch: Pearl Jam’s DIY, anti-hype ethos clashing with OceanGate’s reckless PR stunts. “Eddie loves the ocean, not branding it.”
The band? Dead silent. True to form. According to iHeartRadio, there’s no sign Rush even liked Pearl Jam — it was all part of the marketing dream.
The Abyss Doesn’t Lie
The Titan disaster is one of the most surreal tech tragedies of our time. A lethal mix of ego, ambition, and zero caution. That Pearl Jam — a band built on honesty — almost got roped into the myth-making machine says everything about the times we live in.
Rush wanted to write a story with rock stars and submarines. But the ocean had the final word.
Titan: The OceanGate Disaster streaming exclusively on Netflix since June 11, 2025.
Born in Reggio Emilia in 1980. He created pearljamonline.it in 2001 and wrote the first edition of “Pearl Jam Evolution” in 2009 along with his wife Daria. Since 2022, he is behind 2 podcasts: “Pearl Jam dalla A alla Z” and “Fuori Orario Not Another Podcast”. He has collaborated with Barracuda Style, HvsR, Rolling Stone, Rockol and Il Fatto Quotidiano. He continues relentlessly to try to find “beautiful melodies that say terrible things”.
Favorite song: Present Tense
Favorite album: No Code
Favorite bands/artists other than PJ: Tom Waits, Soundgarden, Ramones, Bruce Springsteen, IDLES, Fontaines D.C., Mark Lanegan, R.E.M., Radiohead, Cat Power, Dead Kennedys