Intimidating Hollywood Sharks That Haunted Our Dreams Long Before 'Sharknado'

With a nightmarish take on extreme weather, last year's Sharknado got our vote for best shark movie of all-time. With its sequel — creatively titled Sharknado 2: The Second One — premiering tonight, it's time to look at the scariest sharks to roam the streets of Hollywood.

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In movie world, the second installment typically means whatever preexisting villain there is will be back, and badder than ever. For stars Ian Ziering and Tara Reid, this means the freak hurricane that rocked the West Coast, causing sharks to wind up on land has moved east to New York City. But is the sharknado that aims to destroy all of midtown Manhattan the most intimidating fish ever, or simply a monster that wants to share a Peach Pit burger with Steve Sanders? Before you tune in, check out of list of pop culture sharks much more intimidating than the monstrosity set to terrorize your television screens.

Bruce from Jaws

[caption id="attachment_429353" align="aligncenter" width="499"] [GIF Credit: stoked2toke.tumblr.com][/caption]Haunting our beach vacations since 1975.

Bruce from Finding Nemo

[caption id="attachment_429350" align="aligncenter" width="615"] [Photo Credit: Buena Vista Pictures][/caption]While one too many evil witches have taught us that not all animated characters are friendly, Bruce is hardly scary once you get to know him — as long as you agree with his Fish Are Friends Not Food mantra.

Land Shark

[caption id="attachment_429355" align="aligncenter" width="615"] [Photo Credit: NBC][/caption]Chevy Chase in a shark costume? Sometimes the simplest sketches are the most enjoyable. For every writer tasked with making something funny after Saturday Night Live's inaugural season, this was difficult to top.

The Shark from Deep Blue Sea

Poor Samuel L. Jackson never stood a chance.

The Shark in Jaws: The Revenge

[caption id="attachment_429359" align="aligncenter" width="615"] [Photo Credit: Universal Pictures][/caption]The star of the 1987 film was committed enough to follow its prey anywhere (and in the case of the film, that's the Caribbean) with no concern for actor Michael Caine's need to get out of Dodge and accept his Best Supporting Actor award. (The creature is also bad enough to stink up an actor's career just by association.)

The Shark in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

If he doesn't find Jim Carrey funny, what would he think about us?

Ben Affleck

[caption id="attachment_429342" align="aligncenter" width="615"] [Photo Credit: Getty Images][/caption]This card shark has played many hours of high-stake games over the years, and was accused of counting cards at the Hard Rock Casino this May. If true, that means he's not afraid to do whatever it takes to win... in addition to having two Academy Awards, a wife who's played a superhero, and a wicked tight relationship with the city of Boston. You can throw lifetime bans at him all you want, casino police, but he's still not someone we'd want to mess with — on the poker table or otherwise.

The Sharks of West Side Story

[caption id="attachment_429348" align="aligncenter" width="500"] [GIF Credit: wifflegif.com][/caption]Anyone can pull a knife. But how many people can execute synchronized pirouettes like that?

But it's not just your friends here at VH1 reminding you to watch Sharknado 2 this evening, it's star Mark McGrath! Make the Sugar Ray frontman proud and tweet away.

[Photo Credit: Syfy]