‘Sharknado’ Will Be Taking Over Some Movie Theatres In August
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Apparently, mixing the likes of a tornado caused by global warming with the ferocity of a school of sharks is a formula for instant success.
That’s why the Regal Entertainment Group has jumped on the Sharknado bandwagon after recognizing the film’s strange appeal—mostly in part because of a social media feeding frenzy—and has agreed to show the movie in theatres throughout the country for one day only, on August 2. In case you missed the boat on Sharknado, it’s one of those television films that was so bad, it was good. And with the help of social media sites like Twitter, it became even better.
When a freak hurricane swamps Los Angeles, thousands of sharks terrorize the waterlogged populace. And when the high-speed winds form tornadoes in the desert, nature’s deadliest killer rules water, land, and air.
Based on its success, Regal decided to turn it into an exclusive event, and will host midnight showings that promise all the weirdly entertaining action that people got to witness while watching it from home—including the above scene where one of the characters works his way into the mouth of an airborne Great White shark while wielding a chainsaw.
In Massachusetts, Sharknado will be screened at five Regal locations, including the ones in Boston, Bellingham, Swansea, Kingston, and Marlborough.
So why dive into the promotion of a film like this? Besides getting national attention and garnering around 5,000 tweets per minute during its initial showing on the SyFy Channel in early July, the movie was referenced by just about anyone whocould find a way to work it into a relevant story. “Sharknado has become a force of nature in its own right. This project transcends the original television platform and has created tremendous buzz,” said Ken Thewes, chief marketing officer for Regal Entertainment Group. “There’s just something epic about watching these huge beasts on the big screen with your friends and family.”
One of those organizations to mention the film was Accuweather.com, who debunked the odds that a Sharknado could ever occur (as if some people were slightly worried about the science behind the whole thing).
Regal representatives said they are hoping to make Sharknado the next Rocky Horror Picture Show, where people often show up, dress up, and interact with the images on the screen. “If the internet reactions to this film are any indication, then our moviegoers are primed and ready to enjoy Sharknado larger than life in cinemas,” said Chris Sylvia, director of digital marketing for Regal Entertainment Group. “Regal is proud to be giving our guests this chance to fuel the social media whirlwind by inviting friends to come to the show and tweeting reactions.”
Unlike most trips to the movie theatres, it seems tweeting and texting while watching Sharknado won’t get you kicked out this time around. “The crowd reactions will make for a memorable experience in our theatres,” said Thewes.
Tickets for the midnight shows are available at the box office, online, and through the Regal App. But be warned, the company said: when a Sharknado hits, “an umbrella is not much protection.” Just see how star Ian Zeiring improvises with a chainsaw.
