While 2009’s Zombieland was both a commercial and critical success, which also helped to launch the careers of Emma Stone and Jesse Eisenberg and rejuvenated Woody Harrelson’s, too, the longer the proposed sequel went without being confirmed the less and less likely it looked like ever actually happening.
So it was quite the surprise when “Zombieland 2” was finally confirmed in July of this year. But even more surprising was that everyone involved in the beloved original would be returning, too.
That means that Ruben Fleischer (“Venom”) is directing, Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese (“Deadpool”) are writing, and, most surprisingly of all, Oscar nominees Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine), Woody Harrelson (“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”), Jesse Eisenberg (“The Social Network”) and Oscar winner Emma Stone (“La La Land”) are, too.
But how did Fleischer convince the esteemed ensemble to return for “Zombieland Too”?
“I am thrilled to be revisiting ‘Zombieland.’ I think that the reason why everyone is revisiting it is that we all have a fondness for the original and we all had such a great time making it. It was really special,” he explains.
“For me it was my first film, so it was huge. But for Jesse and Emma it was a real turning point in their careers. So they have a real nostalgia for it. Woody as well insists that is the movie that when he meets fans they quote to him the most.”
Fleischer is keen to insist that the sequel wasn’t just a chance for them all to take a trip down memory lane, though.
“While we all love it we are also very careful and protective of it. Because we don’t want to do anything that tarnishes the original.”
“So we made a pact that if we did do another one it would have to be as good if not better than the original. So we are all being very respectful and just not compromising on any aspect and making sure the quality is as great as we can possibly make it.”
“Zombieland Too” won’t just pick up when the original left off, though. In fact, the sequel will come 2 days afters its 10th anniversary on October 11, 2019.
That’s why the film is set 10 years later. There’s another very good reason, too, with Fleischer explaining, “Abby was a kid when we made the original and now she isn’t. So we had to be honest to the timeline.”
