The third installment in Syfy and the Asylum’s “Sharknado” franchise will be titled “Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No!,” the companies announced Wednesday. The two-hour telepic will premiere on Syfy on Wednesday, July 22, at 9 p.m.
The TV movie will air on all of Syfy’s international channels — totaling 86 countries — within 24 hours of its U.S. debut.
“We wanted this third title to boldly go where no shark movie has gone before. ‘Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No!’ embraces the larger-than-life irreverence that has made these movies so popular and entertaining,” said Chris Regina, Syfy senior VP of program strategy.
The movie is currently in the midst of a production strike that began March 3. Picketing was organized by the Intl. Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees.
“Representatives of the IATSE and its local unions will be present whenever and wherever this production attempts to film in and around Washington, D.C.,” said Dan Mahoney, assistant director of the IATSE Motion Picture Department. Mahoney said that employees have asked production company the Asylum for the same union benefits and protections that were provided to the crew on “Sharknado 2.”
“It is employees working for anti-worker companies like the Asylum who need the enforceable working conditions and protections of a union agreement the most,” he added.
“Sharknado 3” producer Paul Bales, the Asylum’s chief operating officer, commented on the strike on March 13: “It is true that ‘Sharkando 2’ was made under an IATSE contract,” he said. “However, dealing with the New York City locals was the worst experience we’ve had in making over 200 movies. After all of the manipulation and bullying, inefficiency, overcharging, lying and featherbedding, we had absolutely no desire to repeat this experience on ‘Sharknado 3.’ The IATSE’s actions on this film have confirmed that we made the right decision.”
IATSE then responded: “Once again, the Asylum distinguishes themselves as not only misrepresenting the truth but outright lying about the facts. The IATSE stands with the original crew of ‘Sharknado 3’ who voted overwhelmingly for union representation. Many of the crew were on the picket lines in Los Angeles day after day, and their Facebook page, Strikenado, is filled with their testimonies, as well as those who have had the displeasure of working for the Asylum before. Like the Asylum’s original statement, which mocked this hardworking crew, this new collection of lies is nothing more than an anti-union screed.”
“Sharknado 3” stars Ian Ziering as Fin, Tara Reid as April and Cassie Scerbo as Nova. Newcomers to the cast include David Hasselhoff as Fin’s father, Gil; Bo Derek as April’s mother, May; Ryan Newman as April and Fin’s daughter, Claudia Shepard; and Jack Griffo as Claudia’s friend, Billy. The movie kicks off shooting in Washington, D.C., before heading down to Florida.
Additional cameos include Mark Cuban as the president of the United States; Ann Coulter as the VP; Michele Bachmann as herself; Jerry Springer as Mr. White, a manic tourist; Washington Redskins tackle Tom Compton as a reporter; ‘N Sync singer Chris Kirkpatrick as a pool lifeguard; and the WWE’s Chris Jericho as Bruce the roller-coaster ride operator.
Anthony C. Ferrante returns to direct, from a screenplay by Thunder Levin. “Sharknado 3” is a production of the Asylum.
