Jamie Lee Curtis Calls 'Fierce Creatures' a 'Piece of S--t'

The actress says she and the cast of the 'A Fish Called Wanda' followup 'all did it for money'.

Mar. 16, 2026 at 7:26pm

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In a panel at the South by Southwest festival, actress Jamie Lee Curtis called the 1997 film 'Fierce Creatures', a followup to her 1988 hit 'A Fish Called Wanda', a "piece of s--t" and said the cast, which included John Cleese, Kevin Kline, and Michael Palin, "all did it for money".

Why it matters

While 'A Fish Called Wanda' was a critically acclaimed comedy, its followup 'Fierce Creatures' was not as well-received, with film critic Roger Ebert saying it lacked the "hair-trigger timing" and "comic illogic" of the original. Curtis' candid comments shed light on the motivations behind the making of the less successful sequel.

The details

In 1997, the core cast of 'A Fish Called Wanda' - Curtis, Cleese, Kline, and Palin - reunited for 'Fierce Creatures', which revolved around a multimillionaire who buys a London zoo facing closure. Curtis played a character named Willa Weston, hired to supervise the zoo. However, the film did not receive the same acclaim as the original, with Ebert awarding it two and a half out of four stars and saying it lacked the special qualities of 'Wanda'.

  • The 1988 film 'A Fish Called Wanda' premiered.
  • The 1997 followup film 'Fierce Creatures' was released.

The players

Jamie Lee Curtis

An American actress who starred in the 1988 film 'A Fish Called Wanda' and its 1997 followup 'Fierce Creatures'.

John Cleese

A British actor who starred in both 'A Fish Called Wanda' and 'Fierce Creatures'.

Kevin Kline

An American actor who starred in both 'A Fish Called Wanda' and 'Fierce Creatures'.

Michael Palin

A British actor who starred in both 'A Fish Called Wanda' and 'Fierce Creatures'.

Roger Ebert

A renowned American film critic who reviewed 'Fierce Creatures' and said it lacked the special qualities of 'A Fish Called Wanda'.

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What they’re saying

“I was shooting that piece of s---, Fish Called Wanda Two. We were on the back lot. It was awful. We all did it for money.”

— Jamie Lee Curtis, Actress

“Fierce Creatures lacked the hair-trigger timing, the headlong rush into comic illogic, that made Wanda so special.”

— Roger Ebert, Film Critic

The takeaway

While 'A Fish Called Wanda' was a beloved comedy classic, its followup 'Fierce Creatures' was a disappointment that the cast, including Jamie Lee Curtis, admitted they only made for the money, rather than creative fulfillment. The film's lukewarm reception and Curtis' candid comments highlight the challenges of recapturing the magic of a successful original film.