What is the order of the Piranha movies?

By Alex Wiggan

In 1978, Piranha swam its way into movie theatres. The film – a horror spoof of Jaws – told the story of a local community terrorised by genetically altered piranhas.

Upon release, Piranha proved popular with audiences, which soon led to a sequel. This in turn was followed by more movies, including some releases in 3D!

But how many Piranha movies are there, who are the famous directors behind some of the entries, and what is the viewing order? For all the grisly details and more, read on!

Advertisements

Piranha movies

Piranha (1978)

As noted above, the Piranha movie series began in 1978 with the release of the horror-comedy, Piranha. The film told the story of a lethal infestation of genetically altered piranhas, which threaten the lives of a local community, as well as visitors to a nearby resort. (94 mins)

Piranha II: The Spawning (1981)

Four years after the release of Piranha, Piranha II: The Spawning touched down in cinemas. In this sequel, a series of bizarre deaths take place which once again are linked to a mutant strain of piranha. (94 mins)

Piranha (1995)

In this third film, it’s back to the beginning for a made-for-television remake of 1978’s Piranha. As with its source material, this movie focuses on deadly piranha swarming a resort. (89 mins)

Piranha 3D (2010)

Another remake for this fourth instalment, only this time the movie was released in 3D! As for the story, it’s spring break and deadly piranhas attack a waterside resort. (88 mins)

Piranha 3DD (2012)

Set after the events of 2010’s Piranha 3D, movie number five, Piranha 3DD sees the carnivorous fish invade a recently opened water park in Arizona. And yes, this film was also released in 3D. (82 mins)

Advertisements

The Piranha movies in order

To date, there are five entries in the Piranha movie series. The movies were released in the following order:

Piranha (1978)
Piranha II: The Spawning (1981)
Piranha (1995)
Piranha 3D (2010)
Piranha 3DD (2012)

For clarity, the films are divided into the following collections:

The original series

Piranha (1978)
Piranha II: The Spawning (1981)

The TV movie remake

Piranha (1995)

The 3D series

Piranha 3D (2010)
Piranha 3DD (2012)

Advertisements

Who are the cast of the Piranha movies and are the films the work of the same director?

Notable cast members in the Piranha movie series include Mila Kunis, Alexandra Paul, Soleil Moon, Steven R. McQueen, Elisabeth Shue, Adam Scott, Jerry O’Connell, Ving Rhames, Christopher Lloyd, Gary Busey, Paul Scheer, Danielle Panabaker, Chris Zylka, Dick Miller, Kevin McCarthy, and Lance Henriksen.

In terms of directors, the Piranha movie series is the work of the following:

Joe Dante directed Piranha ‘78
James Cameron (yes, that James Cameron) directed Piranha II
Scott P. Levy directed Piranha ’95
Alexandre Aja directed Piranha 3D
John Gulager directed Piranha 3DD

Advertisements

What is the best Piranha movie?

According to IMDb the Piranha movies are rated as follows:

Piranha (1978) – 5.9/10
Piranha II: The Spawning (1981) – 3.8/10
Piranha (1995) – 4.1/10
Piranha 3D (2010) – 5.5/10
Piranha 3DD (2012) – 3.8/10

Advertisements

Writer/Editor/Swimmer

Alex Wiggan

Alex is a writer, editor, and blogger specialising in movies, TV, comics, retro toys, and general geekery. He is a championing voice in nerd content, an expert in pop culture, and a trusted movie critic who publishes new reviews on a weekly basis. After graduating with a degree in film & television studies from the University of Derby in the UK, Alex went on to study journalism in Sheffield, before acquiring NCTJ accreditation. Prior to a career in blogging, Alex was a magazine editor, a senior copywriter, a features writer, and a freelancer.

I hope this information about the Piranha series has proved useful. Should you wish to read more movie-related posts on It’s A Stampede!, please check out the recommended reads below.