'Feast' Helmer And 'Saw' Writers Hired For 'Piranha 3D' Sequel

Piranha 3D made a big enough splash at the box office to ensure the film will recoup the film's estimated $24 million budget. The film ended it's run with over $65 million worldwide, and will likely make a bunch more on DVD/Blu-ray/tv deals. After the opening weekend, Dimension Films issued a press release announcing that they are already developing a follow-up with with director Alexandre Aja and producer Mark Canton returning. Canton gave the following quote: "We are thrilled that audiences are not just loving PIRANHA 3D, but cheering for it. And it's fantastic that so many critics are really getting the movie and recommending it. We can't wait to get to work on the sequel."

I assumed we wouldn't see a sequel for a couple years, until they had a script in hand (at very least). Well it appears the Weinsteins are borrowing from the Saw release model and hope to have the sequel in theaters for Summer 2011. But the release model isn't the only thing they are "stealing" from the Saw series...

Deadline has learned that Dimension has hired Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan, the screenwriting team behind the last few films Saw V, Saw VI, Saw 3D, to pen the script to the Piranha 3D sequel. And they have hired a director John Gulager, who they found through the last season of Project Greenlight and helmed the Feast series (which was written by Melton and Dunstan). They know that Gulager can get a good job done under tight budget restraints. Lets hope that this time around they actually shoot the movie with 3D cameras.Previously:

I don't believe any storyline has been figured out yet, and no screenwriter has been announced. However, Aja has said in past interviews that they have many ideas for possible sequels in the film were to launch a franchise:

"We had many ideas. There is the Full Moon Party in Thailand, a huge event with like 200,000 young people from all around the world taking mushrooms and partying on the beach."

Sounds like a great location for a follow-up, eh?

According to Wikipedia, the Full Moon Party is an all-night beach party that takes place in Haad Rin on the island of Ko Pha Ngan, Thailand on the night before or after every full moon.

"The first Full Moon Party was improvised at a wooden disco not far from the beach in 1985 for giving thanks to about 20-30 travelers. The Full Moon Party gained fame quickly through word of mouth, and the event now draws a crowd about 20,000-30,000 every full moon evening. The party carries on until the sun rises the next day. All the bars on the sunrise beach of Haad Rin town stay open and play music such as R&B, drum and bass, house, dance and reggae. The modern event has become a part of the itinerary of many travelers to Asia. It is characterized by unruly and potentially dangerous attractions such as fire skipping ropes, wildly variable alcohol strength 'buckets', and a drug culture. It is indeed seen by many as the "ultimate party experience", although drug laws are still strict, and police enforcement is stepped up during the parties. "

The Full Moon Party has been featured on screen before in Last Stop for Paul and the Thai film Hormones and the first episode of the Comedy Central tv show Gerhard Reinke's Wanderlust.