Sharksnado is a 2013 made-for-television disaster movie that has become a cultural phenomenon in its own right. The film follows a group of characters as they try to survive a series of tornadoes that pick up and carry thousands of sharks with them, raining them down on unsuspecting citizens. The film was panned by critics but gained a cult following for its over-the-top plot, cheesy special effects, and absurd premise. The film was so successful that it spawned six sequels, making it one of the most successful movie franchises in recent years. In this article, we will explore the rise and fall of the Sharknado franchise and what it tells us about the changing landscape of the movie industry.
The Rise of Sharksnado:
Sharksnado premiered on the Syfy channel on July 11, 2013, and immediately became a social media sensation. The film’s absurd plot and terrible special effects quickly became a hit with viewers who shared clips and images of the film on social media, creating a buzz around the film that helped it to gain a wider audience. The film also benefited from the fact that it was released during the summer, a time when moviegoers are looking for lighter fare that they can enjoy with friends and family.
The success of Sharknado was also due to the marketing strategy employed by the producers of the film. Syfy created a hashtag campaign around the film, encouraging viewers to tweet about the movie using the hashtag #Sharknado. This helped to create a sense of community around the film, with viewers sharing their thoughts and reactions to the film on social media. The producers also took advantage of the film’s popularity by quickly greenlighting a sequel, Sharknado 2: The Second One, which was released a year later.
The Sharksnado Phenomenon:
The success of Sharknado spawned a cultural phenomenon that went beyond the films themselves. The Sharknado franchise became a source of inspiration for countless memes, parodies, and merchandise. The film’s absurd premise and terrible special effects were celebrated rather than criticized, with fans embracing the films as a guilty pleasure. The franchise also became a source of revenue for Syfy and the producers of the films, with merchandise and licensing deals generating millions of dollars in sales.
The Sharknado franchise also became a source of inspiration for other filmmakers, who sought to replicate the success of the films. Other studios began producing similar low-budget disaster movies that combined absurd plots with terrible special effects, hoping to capitalize on the trend started by Sharknado. While some of these films found success, none of them were able to replicate the success of Sharknado.
The Fall of Sharksnado:
Despite the success of the first few Sharknado films, the franchise began to decline in popularity as it continued to produce sequels. While the first film was celebrated for its absurdity and cheesy special effects, the novelty of the concept began to wear thin as the franchise continued. The later films in the franchise were criticized for being repetitive and uninspired, with the same basic plot being recycled with different characters and settings.
The decline in the popularity of the Sharknado franchise can also be attributed to changes in the movie industry itself. Streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime began to produce their own original content, which created a more competitive market for low-budget films. This meant that the Sharknado franchise had to compete with a much larger pool of films, many of which were able to offer better production values and more original concepts.
Conclusion:
The rise and fall of the Sharknado franchise tell us a lot about the changing landscape of the movie industry. The success of the first film was due to a combination of factors, including the film’s absurd premise, cheesy special effects, and savvy marketing campaign. The success of the franchise also spawned a cultural phenomenon that went beyond the films themselves, with merchandise and licensing deals generating millions of dollars in sales.
