Cable network AXS TV, owned by media mogul Mark Cuban, has teamed with Sharknado producer The Asylum on the made-for-TV film Elvis Lives!, a conspiracy thriller that asks the age-old question: “What if Elvis never really left the building?”

The made-for-TV film – AXS TV’s first – is currently starting pre-production. Battling drug addiction and a failing voice, the movie depicts Elvis’ efforts to put his life back on track. But after he helps the police bring down a powerful crime syndicate, the King is caught in a trap he apparently can walk out of, putting his family in danger and sending him on a life-changing journey.

Cuban commissioned the film after starring in another The Asylum production – Sharknado 3 – where he played the President of the United States.

“When the decision was made to develop AXS TV’s first original made-for-TV movie, I knew I had to get The Asylum team involved because it was a great experience working with them on Sharknado 3,” Cuban said in a statement. “They’re the perfect fit to bring this wild ride to life, as we celebrate the life and legacy of the The King’s reign, crafting a unique and original storyline that explores the well-known conspiracy theories and allows our viewers to form their own conclusions.”

The Asylum’s partners Paul Bales, David Michael Latt and David Rimawi will produce along with David Garber. The Asylum will also handle worldwide sales on the film.

“With Elvis Lives! we intend to do for the life of Elvis Presley what Sharknado did for flying sharks,” says Asylum president and conspiracy theorist David Rimawi in a statement. 

Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the virtual water, cable network Syfy and movie producer The Asylum are readying an onslaught of merchandise, including a video game and a paperback how-to guide, tied to the July 30 debut of Sharknado2: the Second One, the campy sequel to its social media phenomenon Sharknado franchise.

First out of the blocks is a paperback original – How to Survive a Sharknado and Other Unnatural Disasters: Fight Back When Monsters and Mother Nature Attack, the result of a partnership between Syfy, The Asylum and Three Rivers Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group at Random House. Available now, the tome is billed as the “first and only comprehensive guide to surviving the dangers of a post-apocalyptic world where Mother Nature is angry and monsters are hungry.”

In addition to tips for surviving the aforementioned Sharknado – which are apparently common enough for a planned third sequel in 2015 – readers will also receive “vital information” to endure other such TV-type disasters as firenados,  swamp volcanoes, arachnoquakes and piranhacondas.

For more info visit: www.sharnadobook.com

For the less literary fans of the franchise, Syfy and The Asylum, through their licensing and merchandising agency Earthbound, have also partnered with game developer Other Ocean and publisher Majesco Entertainment on SHARKNADO: THE VIDEO GAME for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. Players assume the lead role as Fin as they race to destroy a series of shark-infested tornadoes threatening New York City. The game will release prior to the July 30 premiere of Sharknado 2.

In SHARKNADO: THE VIDEO GAME, players will:

• Run through the streets of Manhattan wielding a broadsword

• Bounce off of the backs of tiger sharks to reach higher ground

• Feed buckets of fish to angry sharks to avoid dying

• Surf New York’s flooded avenues, avoiding hammerhead stampedes

• Collect official Sharknado trading cards

• Grab a chainsaw and fly into the heart of a sharknado, destroying it from the inside

To learn more about SHARKNADO: THE VIDEO GAME visit: www.otherocean.com

“Whether it’s boxer shorts, books, towels or video games, the Sharknado franchise is becoming an extraordinary consumer products phenomenon along with its worldwide pop culture popularity," said vice president, Syfy Ventures Jeff Li in a statement.  "We’re delighted to extend Sharknado to print and video gaming platforms, giving fans new ways to enjoy and interact with the world’s craziest disaster.”

Sharknado was released last year and became an instant social media hit – it generated 387,000 social mentions during its debut –  which helped rack up strong ratings in subsequent airings. The tongue-in-cheek sci-fi hit depicts man-eating sharks, caught up in a series of waterspouts over the ocean, destroying Los Angeles as they rain down on the populace. Former Beverly Hills 9021 actor Ian Ziering starred as Fin, the chainsaw-wielding hero of the movie. The second installment of the franchise is set in New York City.

 “The extensions of our brands like Sharknado and Mega Python vs. Gatoroid into books and video gaming are part of The Asylum's overall growth and commitment to our fans,” said Sharknado producer and co-founder of The Asylum David Latt in a statement. “We look forward to taking a bite out of publishing and video gaming with the upcoming release of these properties and Sharknado 2.””