Return of the Killer Shrews in new sequel with James Best

Last Updated on July 23, 2021

1959’s THE KILLER SHREWS is one of those movies that gained a cult following because it’s so bad. Ray Kellogg’s low budget B-movie is cheesy fun about – you guessed it – giant, killer shrews and is ofen named as one of the worst movies of all time.

In this day of endless remakes, reboots, and sequels, KILLER SHREWS is one title that didn’t cross anyone’s mind… but the creatures are coming back in RETURN OF THE KILLER SHREWS. Check out the poster below. Here is the ridiculously lengthy and detailed synopsis:

A TV Reality Show hires Captain Thorne Sherman and his boat to cargo supplies to the deserted offshore island they’re using as a filming location. Thorne would have refused the job because he’s been to that island before and stills sees it in his nightmares. Unfortunately, as the boat departs, Thorne is too hungover to realize where they’re going and his first mate Rook needs the money. So they sail — to a place Thorne Sherman never wanted to see again as long as he lived: the island of the Killer Shrews.

As the TV crew and two-fisted animal expert Johnny Reno shoot their reality show, some of the cast and crew go missing, attacked and eaten in a bloody feeding frenzy by strange creatures. But tough as nails Producer Stella, sleazy Director Willard and manipulative Writer Lenora couldn’t care less about the human cost. They are ruthlessly focused on getting their show in the can, regardless of the body count. Only cute young camera operator Mickey and her on-again off-again boyfriend Sam grow concerned about their vanished friends. And Captain Thorne grows uneasy. Only he knows that the island holds hidden danger. The place is crawling with giant Killer Shrews, the result of a 50 year old experiment gone terribly wrong.

No one is prepared when the Killer Shrews attack, devouring everything in their path! Thorne moves the panicked and blood-spattered survivors to a safe house – the same scientific compound where the man-eating shrews were spawned half a century ago. Everyone is grateful, but creeping suspicion grows. How does Thorne know about this place? And what is his connection to the Killer Shrews?

But these questions can wait. The shrews are fast and ferocious, able to strip flesh from their screaming victims in seconds. And they are ready to attack – now! Stella rises to the occasion, taking charge among the bloody carnage. But her heroism leads to her sudden and gory demise, and soon more crew members fall prey to the creatures’ ravenous, slathering jaws. To make matters worse, Jerry, a mysterious castaway, stalks the survivors. Jerry has a strange hold over the ravenous Killer Shrews, and at times he can control the crawling monsters.

Thorne and Jerry share a strange history, a past linked to the horrific-flesh-eating Shrews. Now Jerry is targeting Thorne for bloody vengeance, and no one is safe from the dangerously insane castaway. Fleeing the relentless carnivorous shrews, Mickey takes refuge in a cave. But her safe haven turns to shocking horror when Mickey is trapped by Jerry. Sam braves the hordes of flesh eating monsters to rescue Mickey from the madman’s lair, but Jerry gets the upper hand. On this island, it’s eat or be eaten, and Jerry decides who is hunter and who is prey.

As the number of survivors dwindle they must overcome their differences to avoid getting eaten alive. But before Thorne can get off the island he must face his horrific past — and a final showdown with Jerry. Time is running out for the survivors to get off the island before the voracious monsters turn them all into bloody Shrew bait.

The sequel is directed Steve Latshaw, who co-wrote the script with Pat Moran. A cool thing about this flick is that they got James Best, who starred in the original over 50 years ago, to reprise his role. The cast also includes John Schneider, Rick Hurst, Jennifer Lyons (below), and Mel Tillis.