Most people love a good horror story, especially one with unlikely apex predators. Piranha movies serve thrilling underwater adventures and ferocious action sequences.
The film series follows the deadly piranha fish as they wreak havoc on unsuspecting victims, creating a spine-tingling viewing experience for horror enthusiasts.
With each installment, the movies deliver a combination of suspense, terror, and adrenaline-pumping entertainment. To get the best experience, watch the Piranha movies in order of release.
How Many Piranha Movies Are There?
There are five main movies in the “Piranha” film series: “Piranha” (1978), directed by Joe Dante; “Piranha II: The Spawning” (1982), directed by James Cameron; a TV remake “Piranha” (1995); “Piranha 3D” (2010), which revived the series with modern effects; and its sequel “Piranha 3DD” (2012).
Piranha Movies in Order
1. Piranha (1978)
- Cast: Bradford Dillman, Heather Menzies, Kevin McCarthy, Keenan Wynn, Barbara Steele.
- IMDb Rating: 4/10
It’s common knowledge that the first installment of the Piranha movies was inspired by the reception and critical acclaim Jaws received from horror buffs worldwide.
Although it lacked the budget Jaws had, it still managed to garner a cult following, which led to the release of four follow-up piranha movies between 1982 and 2012.
With most movies focusing on well-known predators, Piranha was like a breath of fresh air.
It followed the story of the carnage wrought in the Lost River Lake by thousands of genetically engineered Piranha.
In the end, although the Piranha’s spread is contained, all attempts to eliminate them are unsuccessful.
2. Piranha II: The Spawning (1982)
- Cast: Tricia O’Neill, Lance Henriksen, Steve Marachuk, Ricky G. Paull, Leslie Graves.
- IMDb Rating: 3.8/10
If you thought Piranha was cold, James Cameron and Charles Eglee kicked the plot up in The Spawning (Flying Killers).
The Piranha were genetically modified to operate on land and sea, and no one was safe.
Strangely, despite a more graphic imagery and storyline, Piranha II was a commercial flop and received poor reviews.
However, the general perception surrounding Piranha II would change in later years, as James Cameron became a household name in the movie business. It is currently considered a Horror classic among fans of the genre.
3. Piranhas (1995)
- Cast: Alexandra Paul, William Katt, Darleen Carr, Mila Kunis, Soleil Moon Frye, James Karen.
- IMDb Rating: 4/10
Probably thinking that with better production and fewer attempts to infuse comic relief into its scenes, Piranha would gain as much acclaim as Jaws, Roger Corman, and Scott P. Levy worked on a remake in 1995.
Many aspects of the storyline from the original material were left intact, using new actors, including Mila Kunis.
The 1995 installment is the third of the Piranha movies in order and was explicitly created for TV, unlike its previous releases.
Unfortunately, going by reviews from Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb, Piranhas wasn’t well received by its audience. One user blames its underwhelming effect on its cheap budget.
4. Piranha 3D (2010)
- Cast: Elisabeth Shue, Adam Scott, Jerry O’Connell, Ving Rhames, Richard Dreyfuss.
- IMDb Rating: 5.5/10
Piranha 3D is another remake of the OG movie from 1978. Unlike the 1995 remake, 3D uses a new script written by Pete Goldfinger and Josh Stolberg.
Although Goldfinger and Stolberg wrote the script around 2004, the filming for Piranha 3D would not begin until 2009 due to many delays caused by switching producers and directors, plus the weather.
Regarding Piranha movies, 3D had the best box office performance, pulling in $83.1 million against a $24 million budget.
It follows a more exciting storyline, where the Piranha isn’t a product of some scientific experiment but a prehistoric species released by an earthquake.
However, it stays on the theme of previous releases by incorporating nudity and comic relief to add to its appeal.
5. Piranha 3DD (2012)
- Cast: Danielle Panabaker, Matt Bush, David Koechner, Chris Zylka, Katrina Bowden.
- IMDb Rating: 3.8/10
Following the success of the 3D remake of Piranha, a sequel, Piranha 3DD, was put into the works.
Filming began in April 2011 and lasted for a little over a month, but wasn’t released in the UK and US till May and June the following year.
Goldfinger and Stolberg had initially offered to write a script for the sequel. If that was allowed to sail through, Piranha 3DD might have had a better reception among fans and critics.
Instead, the decision to go for a $7.5 million budget cost everyone, and 3DD managed only to recoup a little over $8 million globally.
The new script picks up from where 3D left off with the Piranha-infested Lake Victoria and features some pretty outrageous content.
