'Sharknado' in Chicago! 4th SyFy sequel arrives Sunday

Summer has its traditions: picnics, parades, fireworks ... and "Sharknado."

Upon its fourth annual edition, Syfy's intentionally campy horror-movie franchise has to be acknowledged as one of the staples of the season, as long as shark-carrying tornadoes continue to terrorize Earth's populace in warm weather. The next round is upon us: "Sharknado: The 4th Awakens" debuts Sunday, July 31.

The sites of the previous attacks have included Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C. - and Orlando's Universal Studios Florida, owned by Syfy parent company NBC Universal. Expect to see the newest crisis develop five years later in Chicago (with actress and Fox News contributor Stacey Dash as its mayor) and Las Vegas. And since "the world" is said to be in peril, chainsaw-wielding hero Fin Shepard (again portrayed by Ian Ziering) is likely to fight finned enemies in other locales as well.

"At a certain point, you'll see that it does go global," Ziering confirms. "Every time I read one of these scripts, I find it hard to imagine how they're going to raise the bar, but it continues to be a joy ride." However, his Fin may or may not have his true love April (Tara Reid) by his side for long; the new story reveals her fate, determined and already announced through a social-media campaign conducted after the last "Sharknado."

David Hasselhoff and Ryan Newman are back as Fin's father and daughter, and a big part of the "Sharknado" formula is the parade of cameos by familiar faces. Also included this time: Hasselhoff's former "Baywatch" comrades Gena Lee Nolin and Alexandra Paul; Gary Busey; Wayne Newton; modeling veteran Cheryl Tiegs; "Shark Tank's" Lori Greiner and Robert Herjavec; Duane Chapman, alias "Dog the Bounty Hunter"; Jay DeMarcus of country music's Rascal Flatts; Motley Crue's Vince Neil; Dr. Drew Pinsky; and "Millionaire Matchmaker" Patti Stanger.

Having been a part of the "Sharknado" phenomenon from the start, Ziering has an unofficial creative-consultant role.

"It's starting to feel more like a TV series where we shoot an episode a year," Ziering says of taking on the sharks again, "and what's nice is that there seems to be a Great White appetite for this kind of content. The (ratings) numbers are great, and the social-media interactions continue to go through the roof - we've beaten our number of impressions every year - and that just tells me that people are getting together and having parties, watching this in groups. This becomes more like appointment television, a summer event."