Piranha (1978): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
Piranha is a 1978 sci-fi thriller directed by Joe Dante, starring Heather Menzies-Urich, Bradford Dillman and Kevin McCarthy. It runs 1 hour 34 minutes and earned $321 worldwide. Critics gave it 71 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 5.9/10.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 34m (94 min)
- Director
- Joe Dante
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- New World Pictures
- After the credits
- Yes Extra scene during or after the credits
What Is Piranha About?
The premise of Piranha without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
A young banker struggles with unsettling visions and a precarious grasp on reality as he makes his way to a crucial first day. Amidst the frantic pace of the city, he finds himself facing a bizarre and terrifying danger – a swarm of piranhas unleashed upon the streets. He must confront both the pressures of the financial world and this unexpected aquatic threat to survive.
Piranha Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- piranha
- underwater scene
- killer fish
- swimming
- flashing breasts
- summer camp
- female full frontal nudity
- river
- fish
- experiment
- water
- beach
+38 more Show fewer
- rescue
- race against time
- killed by an animal
- disaster
- father daughter relationship
- scientist
- animal attack
- mutation
- cult film
- female nudity
- title spoken by character
- child in jeopardy
- death of a child
- female star appears nude
- female topless nudity
- 1970s
- skinny dipping
- swimming pool
- wet t shirt
- bikini
- girl wears a bikini
- brunette
- blonde child
- teen couple eaten
- part stop motion
- independent film
- horror b movie
- exploitation film
- fish in title
- monster
- archery
- tragic event
- man in a bed
- man wears eyeglasses
- name calling
- ambiguous ending
- dead body of a child
- male and female protagonists
Piranha Cast
Heather Menzies-Urich leads the cast, with Bradford Dillman and Kevin McCarthy. Directed by Joe Dante; 10 actors are credited in all.
-
Director Joe Dante
Also Starring in Piranha
· 6 moreMore from Joe Dante
More films directed by Joe Dante, best-rated first: Gremlins, Rock 'n' Roll High School, Innerspace and Nightmare Cinema.
Piranha Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Piranha 71 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 5.9/10.
-
IMDb 5.9 /10
See on IMDb -
Metacritic 71 Metascore
User score 6.4
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 59% User score
See on TMDB
Piranha Plot Summary
What happens in Piranha from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
David (Roger Richman](/actor/roger-richman)) and Barbara (Janie Squire) are adventurous young backpackers who stumble upon what appears to be an abandoned military outpost. Intrigued, they come across a vast, man-made reservoir, and decide to indulge in some skinny dipping. However, their fun takes a horrifying turn when they are suddenly attacked by an unknown underwater entity. Their blood-curdling screams echo through the facility, alerting someone still present inside the military complex.
Full summary
The whole story of Piranha, scene by scene
Piranha Box Office
Piranha grossed $321 worldwide.
Worldwide gross
$321
- International
- $321
Piranha Trailers & Videos
4 videos: 2 trailers and 2 featurettes.
- Trailer Piranha ≣ 1978 ≣ Trailer
- Featurette Jon Davison on PIRANHA
- Featurette TCM Underground Presents: Slumberground - Piranha (1978)
How Well Do You Know Piranha?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Who are the two main characters that initially stumble upon the military outpost?
Cars in Piranha
9 cars on screen, including the Jeep CJ-5 and the 1967 Plymouth Fury.
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Jeep CJ-5 Important role -
1967 Plymouth Fury Important role -
AM General M-813 Minor role -
1975 Chevrolet Camaro Minor role
Piranha Also Known As
16 alternative titles, including “Piranhas” and “Piraya”.
- Also known as
-
- Piranhas
- Piraya
- Piraña
- פיראנה
- Pirania
- Пираньи
- 食人鱼
- 식인어 피라나
- Piraňa
- Піранья
- มหาภัยพีราน่าห์
- Πιράνχα, τα σαρκοφάγα
+4 more Show fewer
- ピラニア
- Piraija
- Piranya
- Пираня
Seen Piranha?
Movies Like Piranha
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Piranha, Piranha 3-D and Piranha Women.
Piranha FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings and post-credit scenes of Piranha, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Piranha?
Piranha runs 1 hour 34 minutes (94 minutes).
When was Piranha released?
Piranha was released on August 3, 1978.
Who directed Piranha?
Piranha was directed by Joe Dante.
More films by Joe Dante Who is in the cast of Piranha?
Piranha stars Heather Menzies-Urich, Bradford Dillman and Kevin McCarthy, among 10 credited actors.
How much did Piranha make at the box office?
Piranha grossed $321 worldwide.
How is Piranha rated?
Piranha has 5.9/10 on IMDb, 71 on Metacritic and 59% on TMDB.
Does Piranha have a post-credit scene?
Yes. Piranha has an extra scene during or after the credits, so it is worth staying seated.
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