Awfully Good: Sharknado 2 Preview from Comic Con! Bonus Hercules video!

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

The anticipated sequel SHARKNADO 2: THE SECOND ONE airs tonight on the SyFy Channel (as well as in 90 other countries). And to get you excited for this epic event, we're sharing a sneak peek straight from The Asylum's Comic Con panel featuring director Anthony Ferrante and stars Ian Ziering, Vivica A Fox and Judah Friedlander. They kicked off the show with the latest trailer, which you can watch here:

Dig it? Now check out the Top 10 Things We Learned About SHARKNADO 2:

1. Look out, Oscar. SHARKNADO 2 features its own original song! It's called "The Ballad of Sharknado" and Anthony Ferrante refers to it as his ode to The Ramones. The tune was born out of necessity since they couldn't afford to license any existing music.

2. The sequel was shot in 20 days on location in New York City, with a budget Ferrante said wouldn't even cover craft services on MAN OF STEEL for one day. They shot it in February and delivered it in June, including over 700 effects shots. "I dare Superman to pull that off."

3. Despite rekindling their romance at the end of the first movie, Ian Ziering and Tara Reid's characters are back on a rocky road in THE SECOND ONE. (Reid wrote a book capitalizing on their ordeal called "How to Survive a Sharknado.") The pair are headed to the Big Apple for a relaxing, inclement weather-free weekend to work on their relationship. More complication: Vivica A. Fox is introduced as Ian's "chocolate blast from the past."

4. Celebrity fans came out of the woodwork, so you can expect a ton of cameos. In the above trailer you can spot Matt Lauer, Andy Dick, Kelly Osbourne, Judd Hirsch and Mark McGrath, but Ferrante said there's even more.

5. In perhaps the most concrete proof that destiny exists, the person who wrote this movie (and the first one) is actually named Thunder.

6. Other monikers that were considered for the sequel included THE SHARKENING and THE SHARKTACULAR SHARKNADO.

7. Comedian and 30 Rock star Judah Friedlander was originally supposed to only make a brief cameo appearance, but when Ferrante learned he had more free time, they combined the roles written for three characters and gave them to him. He also made up a lot of his performance on the spot.

8 Ferrante said he enjoys playing with tropes from different genres. On that note, there's a loving homage in SHARKNADO 2 to the classic Twilight Zone episode "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet."

9. Vivica A. Fox said her favorite scene involves her being on a roof trying to stop two sharknados from colliding and forming one massive fish-infested storm. Ian Ziering's favorite shark kill involves a callback to the first one. We won't spoil it, but the effects animator had to go to the Discovery Store to study shark anatomy.

10. Without divulging any spoilers about who survives, the cast and crew said you can definitely expect SHARKNADO 3 next year. In fact, Ferrante said they have enough fun and the concept is open enough that they could do a SHARKNADO every year. Ideas for future installments included going global ("Anywhere there's a coastline, there's the possibility of a sharknado…") and two words—alien invasion.

A fanmade Sharknado costume.

Other highlights from the Comic Con panel:

– The original idea came from the creators trying to come up with the most ridiculous title imaginable. It came down to two candidates: LAVA BIRDS and SHARKNADO. Never planning on actually making it in to a movie, they wrote a line about a sharknado in to the script for LEPRECHAUNS REVENGE. When the president of SyFy saw it he said, "What's that sharknado thing? We need to make that in to a movie."

– Everyone knows how stupid it is, but they're glad to be making something fun that people enjoy. "We're probably harder on the movie than any of you. We sit in the editing room just pointing out flaws, said Ferrante. "Yes, its rough around the edges, but there's an innocence to it."

– On that note, they tried to shoot the first movie under the title DARK SKIES, because nobody would've signed on to something called SHARKNADO. On the third day of shooting, the stars accidentally discovered the true title and were really, really pissed off.

– Vivica A. Fox said her KILL BILL training came in handy one day on set when they gave her a sword to use.

– Ziering said he was much more comfortable and trusting of the director and visual effects team after the first film was "a lot better than I thought it would be." So this time when he was asked to jump on the back of sharks, he really went for it.

– Judah Friedlander views the film as a movie about the serious issue of climate change and the unity and strength of people when they come together. He may have been joking.

– SHARKNADO: THE MUSICAL was suggested and Ian Ziering ad libbed a bit a quick song.

– The famous shot of Ziering cutting his way out of a shark at the end of the first movie was all done practical. They used a 15 foot section of fake shark so in case Ziering screwed up the shot, they could just slide down and try again. (Also, the background plate for that scene was shot on an iPhone when they realized they needed it at the last minute.)

– Ferrante said the movie works because they don't need to waste time on creating a mythology. They don't need scientists or a random military official to explain to the audience what's going on. A tornado full of sharks just happens and you accept it.

– How many sharks are there in the average 'nado? According to Ferrante, at least 300.

Exclusive SHARKNADO 2 Comic Con poster from The Asylum