5 Years Ago, An Epic Action Movie Finally Debuted After a Decade (But the Lost Spinoff Is What We Still Want)

Zack Snyder’s Army of the Dead premiered on Netflix exactly five years ago on May 14, 2021, becoming a major hit for the streaming platform due to its unusual approach to zombies. The film functions as a high-stakes hybrid of heist cinema and creature horror, replacing the slow-burn dread of a typical undead apocalypse with a neon-soaked Las Vegas wasteland. In addition, by introducing a sentient hierarchy of Alpha zombies led by the imposing Zeus (Richard Cetrone), the production established a mythology that felt far more expansive than a standard survival narrative. Finally, this ambitious genre mash was supported by a substantial $90 million budget, which allowed for massive set pieces, including the zombified tiger Valentine and the intricate vault-cracking sequences. Due to all of that, Army of the Dead served as an anchor for Snyder’s post-DCEU career, proving that his visual language could successfully thrive within original intellectual property.

Army of the Dead shattered viewership expectations on Netflix, but the movie was the result of a grueling fourteen-year development cycle that originally began at Warner Bros. in 2007. For over a decade, the project languished in development hell as various scripts and directors, including Matthijs van Heijningen Jr., cycled through the studio system before Netflix eventually acquired the rights in 2019. This transition allowed Snyder to revise the original screenplay by Joby Harold into a broader narrative vision designed to launch an interconnected “Armyverse.” However, while the franchise successfully expanded with the 2021 prequel Army of Thieves, led by Ludwig Dieter (Matthias Schweighöfer), the most compelling chapter of the lore remains incomplete.

We Still Want the Anime Spinoff of Army of the Dead

After the movie premiered, a planned animated series titled Army of the Dead: Lost Vegas was intended to serve as an origin story for Scott Ward (Dave Bautista) and his team of mercenaries during the initial fall of the city. Unlike the live-action sequel, which focused on the aftermath of the quarantine, the anime was designed to explore the chaotic first 48 hours of the outbreak. The production featured an impressive voice cast that included returning stars alongside new additions like Joe Manganiello as Rose, Christian Slater as Torrance, and Vanessa Hudgens as Willow. Plus, by using the flexibility of animation, the show promised to depict the full-scale military intervention and the specific traumatic events that marked the past of characters like Maria Cruz (Ana de la Reguera) and Vanderohe (Omari Hardwick). This deeper dive into the mythology was particularly exciting because it was also meant to provide concrete answers regarding the “robot zombies” and the mysterious Area 51 lore briefly glimpsed in the film.

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The momentum for Lost Vegas came to a halt as Snyder’s focus shifted toward his sprawling Rebel Moon space opera. Then,  the project was quietly canceled in August 2024. Showrunner Jay Oliva revealed that the production was already in the animation phase before Netflix pulled the plug, citing strategic shifts within the studio’s animation department. Snyder himself had told Total Film in 2023 that the work was essentially complete, stating, “We did all the scripts and the animatics, and all the voices are recorded. So you could watch it, even in its crazy animatic form—you can watch the whole run.”

Lost Vegas was not an isolated casualty, as the planned live-action sequel Planet of the Dead was also shelved by Netflix in 2024. This sequel was expected to follow the survivor Vanderohe (Omari Hardwick) as he unknowingly carried the zombie virus to Mexico City, potentially triggering a global pandemic. Snyder had hinted at an “insane” escalation of the stakes, suggesting that the Alphas were only the beginning of a biological evolution. However, by canceling Planet of the Dead and the Lost Vegas anime, the streamer has essentially deleted the resolution to several major cliffhangers. The abrupt ending of this shared universe is particularly disappointing given the commercial success of the first film, which reached 75 million households in its first month.

Army of the Dead is currently available to stream on Netflix alongside the prequel Army of Thieves. 

Do you think Netflix should finally release the Lost Vegas anime spinoff to complete the story? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!