‘Big Shark’ Trailer: Tommy Wiseau Devours Cult Cinema in First Feature Since ‘The Room’
Tommy Wiseau can’t jump the shark: He is the shark.
The “Room” writer-director-star (auteur?) is officially back with his first feature film in 20 years. “Big Shark,” following the craze of the B-movie “Sharknado” franchise and spinoffs, follows three firefighters as they work to save New Orleans from one massive shark.
The tagline reads: “Can New Orleans survive?”
The trailer has been playing for audiences at theatrical screenings of “The Room” for the last few months, but the official trailer is now online. “Big Shark” will begin a nationwide rollout April 2 with a debut screening at Cinema 21 in Portland, Oregon, followed by New Orleans (April 28 and 29), San Francisco (May 5 and 6), Los Angeles (June 2 and 3), and at the Village East by Angelika in New York City (August 10, 11, and 12).
Wiseau is set to appear in person for branded “Pre Premier” screenings, with the “Official Final Cut Version” of “Big Shark” being released only after an eight-month theatrical rollout window.
Wiseau wrote, directed, and stars in “Big Shark,” with actors Isaiah LaBorde and Mark Valeriano rounding out the core trio. “Big Shark” was first announced in 2019 with “The Room” alum Greg Sestero cast in one of the lead roles. Sestero’s tell-all memoir about the making of 2003 cult classic “The Room” was adapted into Golden Globe-winning and Oscar-nominated 2017 movie “The Disaster Artist” starring James Franco, Seth Rogen, and Dave Franco.
“Big Shark” marks Wiseau’s return to feature directing after helming short documentary “Homeless in America” (2004) and creating Hulu series “The Neighbors” (2015). Wiseau acted in 2017 thriller “Best F(r)iends,” written by Sestero.
“The Room” recently made headlines again thanks to an upcoming remake, with Bob Odenkirk playing the role of Johnny, as originally portrayed by Wiseau. The remake commemorates the 20th anniversary of the San Francisco-set film, with proceeds to benefit amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research. “The Room” follows unlucky-in-love romantic Johnny as he grapples with his fiancée cheating on him with his best friend. A first look at the philanthropic remake showed original cast member Sestero on set for the remake.
“I’m not mocking Tommy’s performance or even mocking the script. I’m going, ‘This is your script. Bob Odenkirk, this is your part. How are you going to make it real and make it feel legit?’” Emmy winner Odenkirk said. “My dream is that you watch it, and even just for one or two scenes, you go, ‘Wow, OK! That’s a real movie, I’d watch that!’ You just think for one second, ‘Am I watching a genuine performance and am I actually a little bit touched by ‘The Room’?'”
“Big Shark” premieres April 2 in select theaters with a nationwide rollout in coming months.
Check out the trailer below.