Piranha (1978): cast, story & where to watch
1978 · Film · ★ 5.9
Released in 1978, Piranha is a comedy, thriller, horror and science fiction film directed by Joe Dante, running about 94 minutes. “A hideous death lurked unseen in the river...” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. When flesh-eating piranhas are accidently released into a summer resort's rivers, the guests become their next meal.
Who’s in it. Piranha stars Bradford Dillman as Paul Grogan, Heather Menzies as Maggie McKeown, Kevin McCarthy as Dr. Robert Hoak and Keenan Wynn as Jack, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 5.9/10, Piranha has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response. It went on to earn $16M at the box office.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Peacock Premium and Philo and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Piranha page.
If you liked it. Fans of Piranha tend to enjoy Forrest Gump, Parasite, Life Is Beautiful and Fight Club.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Piranha (1978)?
- In US, Piranha is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV and Peacock Premium, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Piranha worth watching?
- Piranha holds an audience score of 5.9 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy comedy, thriller, horror and science fiction. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in Piranha?
- Piranha stars Bradford Dillman, Heather Menzies, Kevin McCarthy, Keenan Wynn and Dick Miller.
- When was Piranha released?
- Piranha was released in 1978, with a runtime of about 94 minutes.