No one expected the original Sharknado to be much more than a laugh, but its sequel Sharknado 2: The Second One was an even bigger hit. Now Syfy has released Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No, and there's also news that star Ian Ziering will be back for a fourth romp next year.

Sharknado 3 poster'Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No' comin' atcha!

The actor, who rose to fame in the 1990s in Beverly Hills 90210, knows that these films are a joke. "It's over the top, but it's over the top in a great way, and I've stopped questioning it," he says. "These movies are not intended for overthinkers, but they've really captured the imagination of sci-fi fans. Sharknado 2 generated such a shockwave that it reverberated over a billion Twitter impressions around the world. It was all top 10 trending topics on Twitter at the same time! Nowhere in any parallel universe did I ever think that would happen in my career."

More: Read our review of the first 'Sharknado' film

Ziering credits the movie's success to the fact that it delivers exactly what it promises. "It's a campy, cheesy science-fiction movie, and it's wildly absurd. It's a huge impossibility: Mother Nature says this could never happen! But with a little bit of popcorn and some friends, you're able to suspend disbelief and enjoy the movie. It's almost like it's its own genre, where everybody's in on the joke except the actors within the movie."

In part 3, David Hasselhoff appears as his dad. "He's awesome," Ziering says. "He was a big fan of the first two movies, and he was very excited and happy to be a part of the third. And he came ready to work. I've always been a fan of his. He's very humble and appreciative. He lets a lot of self-deprecating humour fly, and you just can't help but love the guy."

More: Speculation arises for 'Sharknado 4' already

He also enjoyed the chance to work with icons like Bo Derek and Lou Ferrigno. "Lou came over and asked for a selfie, which actually made it into the movie," he laughs. "That was kind of a surreal moment, because he's the Incredible Hulk! When he hugged me, he crushed me like I was a loaf of bread. This whole thing, it's just pure fun."