Caffeinated Clint
Dimension has, in addition to signalling the start of principal photography, released casting details for the upcoming “Piranha” sequel. John Gulager (“Feast”) directs with a cast headlined by Danielle Panabaker.
Firstly, here again are the character details we spilt on the project a few weeks back :
Barry
Intelligent, thin kid with a super-smart IQ and a knack for ‘hacking’ – but instead of working for a Microsoft or the government he’s he’s using his skills to spear garbage at the water park. Oh, Barry seems to harbor a secret crush for co-worker and local good girl Maddy; together, they set out to thwart the fish.
Maddy
The ‘Elisabeth Shue’ of the picture, if you will. Smart marine biology student, working with her father Chet (also the boss) at the park. Was supposed to be away doing a summer internship so she could get into grad school but has returned – much to the abhorrence of the local kids who think she’s a bitch (i.e. she’s a threat because she’s smart) – at the request of her abusive redneck father who said he needed help running operations. Naturally, being so smart and remaining fully-clothed, Maddy’s the one who discovers Piranha’s have entered the park; Pop, of course, doesn’t want to know about that – killer fish are bad for business.
Ashley & Shelby
Sisters – one a tart, the other a wannabe tart.
Ashley’s the ‘dude magnet’ who is use to getting her way; Shelby, her sister, is the quiet, smarter one. Naturally, Shelby wishes she were more like her popular sister.
Ashley’s all bitch, it seems. She’s getting frisky in a van with boyfriend Travis when she decides to slap some handcuffs on him. The van starts to move… next thing ya know they’re in the water. Unable to find the keys to the cuffs Ashley leaves Travis behind in the water… with the fish. Nice.
Shelby has a thing for local guy Andy and vice versa – ultimately she tricks him into deflowering her. After all, nobody likes a virgin, right?
Kyle
Local copper. Bit of a sleaze. Use to date Maddy. He thinks she’s just going to drop her duds and let him back in again now that she’s returned to town. Nope, she knows better now.
Oh, and is there a connection to the first “Piranha”? Well, kinda…. The tragic events at Lake Victoria can be seen on the Television news playing in the background. In other words, doubtful that any of the original cast – Shue, Adam Scott, Christopher Lloyd etc – will be back; there are, however, some cameos written into the script that should fulfill the famous faces quota usually required for studio fare like this.
Here’s the press release :
PIRANHA 3DD (DOUBLE D) SPLASHES INTO PRODUCTION
New York, NY, April 25, 2011 – After earning rave reviews from top critics and wild cheers from audiences around the country, Dimension Films has started production on the sequel to PIRANHA 3D.Principal photography is now underway in Wilmington, NC on PIRANHA 3DD, being directed by John Gulager (FEAST).
There’s something in the water . . . again. And this time no one is safe from the flesh eating fish as they sink their razor sharp teeth into the visitors of the best summer attraction, The Big Wet Water Park.
Featuring a talented ensemble cast including Danielle Panabaker (THE CRAZIES), Matt Bush (ADVENTURELAND), Chris Zylka (THE AMAZING SPIDERMAN), David Koechner (ANCHORMAN), Meagan Tandy (UNSTOPPABLE), Paul James Jordan, Jean-Luc Bilodeau, Hector Jimenez, Adrian Martinez, Clu Gulager and more cast to be announced soon.
PIRANHA 3DD is a Dimension Films release, produced by Mark Canton, Marc Toberoff and Joel Soisson. Executive producer Chako van Leeuwen; Co-Produced by Pete Goldfinger and Josh Stolberg.
PIRANHA 3DD shows its teeth in theatres nationwide on November 23, 2011. The feast is on this Thanksgiving.
ABOUT THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY
The Weinstein Company (TWC) is a multimedia production and distribution company launched in October 2005 by Bob and Harvey Weinstein, the brothers who founded Miramax Films in 1979. TWC also encompasses Dimension Films, the genre label founded in 1993 by Bob Weinstein, which has released such popular franchises as SCREAM, SPY KIDS and SCARY MOVIE. Together TWC and Dimension Films have released a broad range of mainstream, genre and specialty films that have been commercial and critical successes, most recently Tom Hooper’s THE KING’S SPEECH, winner of four 2011 Academy Awards®, including Best Picture; Derek Cianfrance’s Academy Award®-nominated BLUE VALENTINE; John Wells’ feature directorial debut, THE COMPANY MEN; Julian Schnabel’s MIRAL; and Wes Craven’s SCRE4M. Since 2005, TWC and Dimension Films have released such films as GRINDHOUSE; I’M NOT THERE; THE GREAT DEBATERS; VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA; THE READER; THE ROAD; HALLOWEEN; THE PAT TILLMAN STORY; PIRANHA 3D; INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS; A SINGLE MAN; and 2011 Golden Globe® Best Foreign Language Film nominee THE CONCERT. Upcoming releases include SPY KIDS 4, APOLLO 18, OUR IDIOT BROTHER, THE DETAILS and MY WEEK WITH MARILYN. Recently wrapping is I DON’T KNOW HOW SHE DOES IT. Currently in production is COGAN’S TRADE.TWC is also active in television production, with credits including the Emmy® Award-winning hit reality series “Project Runway,” and the critically acclaimed HBO comedy/crime series “The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency.” The company is producing two “Project Runway” spinoffs, “Project Runway: Masters” and “Project Runway: Accessories,” which are expected to debut in 2011. The company currently has 15 series in different stages of development, including: “Mob Wives,” a reality series for VH1; “Marco Polo,” a scripted historical series about the great explorer; “The Nanny Diaries,” based on the hit book; and “The Mad Ones,” adapted from the Mafia novel of the same name.
