‘Shark Warning’ Takes A Bite Out Of Lake Havasu

By Becky Maxedon

When Hollywood comes calling, Lake Havasu City rarely disappoints.

RiverScene Magazine recently sat down with Jimmy Gadd, the director of a new movie filmed in Lake Havasu City.

Gadd is the director of the new film “Shark Warning!” that wrapped this spring. The spectacular backdrop of Lake Havasu serves as the setting, along with its beaches and local haunts.

In addition to the obvious, other locations included SummeRay Wine Bar, Lake Havasu State Park Windsor 4 and Ranger’s Point.

Gadd said there were about 30 local background extras, and many local boats were used. “We had five boats and four cars and Sean Quigly of Lake Escape also provided two more boats and his truck,” Gadd said.

In the movie business for 22 years, “Shark Warning!” is Gadd’s solo directorial debut.

Jimmy Gadd directs “Shark Warning” as it is filmed in Lake Havasu City, AZ alongside 1st AD James Mahoney. Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

Why Lake Havasu?

Gadd said when he was chosen to direct the film, he began searching for locations.

“We originally wanted to shoot in California, but the restrictions are almost prohibitive,” Gadd said.

“I made some phone calls, and I knew some people who made ‘Time Pirates’ in Lake Havasu, so I took a look and I feel honored that I was able to shoot in Arizona,” he said.

The production company The Asylum is the parent company of the “Sharknado” and other shark-related products, and it is behind “Shark Warning”. This year is the 10^th anniversary of “Sharknado”.

“This is really an homage to ‘Jaws’, Gadd said.

The plot centers around a fishing tournament that had been cancelled for 20 years because of a shark attack.

The tournament has been restarted by the town’s mayor to boost its economy. The shark originally entered the lake through a dam. The dam was closed but the fish and the town were suffering.

After 20 years, a man returns to the town where his brother was killed by a shark. When it resurfaces and kills again, the man goes on a mission to hunt down the predator and stop it.

Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

“Shark Warning” stars David Chokachi, Andrew Katers and Angela Cole. Ryan Ebert wrote the screenplay.

“Lake Havasu is so gorgeous. I have met so many locals while being here and they are all so sweet,” Cole said.

Both Cole and Katers have visited Lake Havasu City before. Cole was in the city to film “Time Pirates” and Katers visited as a child.

Lake Havasu wasn’t and unknown to Gadd either. He spent some of his childhood in Scottsdale. His parents were both actors and he did some acting and modeling as a child.

His mother, Linda Hendrickson, moved into archaeology and anthropology and took Gadd with her to work on documentaries in a Viking settlement, as well as work in Africa, Ireland and France.

Gadd eventually returned to Scottsdale where he attended a two-year film program at Scottsdale Community College’s School of Film and Theatre.

He was then invited to Hollywood where he worked on the film “Ali” with friend Laurie Ball.

“I came back to Scottsdale and finished my film degree and returned to Hollywood in 2002 to work as an assistant editor and in post-production,” he said.

He has worked on projects in editing and codirecting projects including “Dirt”, “The Mentalist”, “Wanda Vision”, and “Clifford The Big Red Dog”, “A Ray of Sunshine”, and “The Rome Rome”.

Gadd said “Shark Warning!” will be released Friday in select theaters and on streaming. It will open at the Laemmle Glendale in Glendale, Calif.; Hickory Ridge Cinemas in Brunswick, Ohio; Trylon Cinema in Minneapolis, Minn.; O Cinema in South Beach, Fla.; and Aurora Cineplex in Roswell, Ga.

It will be available on demand for purchase or rent July 30, on Amazon Prime Video, Comcast, Cox, DirectTV, Dish, Google Play, Hoopla, ITunes, Microsoft (XBox), Redbox on Demand, Spectrum, Verizon (Vubiquity), and VUDO/Fandango.

“Shark Warning” was presented at Comic Con in San Diego, Calif., Thursday. You can view the trailer for “Shark Warning” by clicking here: https://youtu.be/v2EVmV6zvdU?feature=shared