Piranha
“A hideous death lurked unseen in the river...”
Synopsis
When flesh-eating piranhas are accidentally released into a summer resort's rivers, the guests become their next meal.
Part of the Piranha Collection
Stream the entire interconnected saga and experience every installment in chronological storyline order.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
TCM Underground Presents: Slumberground - Piranha (1978)Official
Type: Featurette • Published 2021-07-28
Top Cast
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Bradford Dillman
Paul Grogan
Heather Menzies
Maggie McKeown
Kevin McCarthy
Dr. Robert Hoak
Keenan Wynn
Jack
Dick Miller
Buck Gardner
Barbara Steele
Dr. Mengers
Belinda Balaski
Betsy
Melody Thomas Scott
Laura Dickinson
Bruce Gordon
Colonel Waxman
Barry Brown
Trooper
Paul Bartel
Mr. Dumont
Shannon Collins
Suzie Grogan
Shawn Nelson
Whitney
Richard Deacon
Earl Lyon
Janie Squire
Barbara Randolph
Roger Richman
David
Bill Smillie
Jailer
Guich Koock
TV Pitchman
Release History & Theatrical Window
August 3, 1978
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$660K
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$16M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
24.24x
+$15.3M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Joe Dante
- Screenplay & Story
- John Sayles
- Original Score
- Pino Donaggio
- Original Title
- Piranha
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 34m
- Production Budget
- $660K
- Worldwide Gross
- $16M
- Production Studios
- New World Pictures, Chako Film Company
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Joe Dante
John Sayles, Richard Robinson
Pino Donaggio
Jamie Anderson, M. Todd Henry
Joe Dante, Mark Goldblatt
Roger Corman, Jon Davison, Jeff Schechtman
Department Leadership Roster
Joe Dante
Director
John Sayles
Screenplay
Jon Davison
Producer
Pino Donaggio
Original Music Composer
Joe Dante
Editor
Mark Goldblatt
Editor
Conrad E. Palmisano
Stunt Coordinator
Jamie Anderson
Director of Photography
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
R: Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.
Interdit aux moins de 12 ans — 12+ only.
Suitable only for 15 years and over.
Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Piranha.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Piranha.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Piranha
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Piranha about?
When flesh-eating piranhas are accidentally released into a summer resort's rivers, the guests become their next meal.
Who directed Piranha?
Piranha was directed by Joe Dante.
Who stars in Piranha?
The principal cast of Piranha includes Bradford Dillman, Heather Menzies, Kevin McCarthy, Keenan Wynn, Dick Miller.
When was Piranha released and how long is it?
Piranha was released in 1978 with a total runtime of 1h 34m.
What was the box office and production budget of Piranha?
Piranha had a reported production budget of $660K and grossed $16M at the worldwide box office (24.24 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for Piranha?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Piranha was composed by Pino Donaggio.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Piranha?
Piranha holds official age classifications: DE: 16 (FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.); FR: 12 (Interdit aux moins de 12 ans — 12+ only.); GB: 15 (Suitable only for 15 years and over.); US: R (Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.).