In 2019, a full decade after Zombieland premiered, sequel Zombieland: Double Tap finally arrived. Though reviews were not as positive for the follow-up (its Rotten Tomatoes score is 68%, compared the original’s 89%), it was still well-received and proved to be a solid draw at the box office, earning $122.8 million worldwide. Revisiting fan-favorite characters Columbus, Tallahassee, Wichita, and Little Rock after all those years sparked interest in seeing the franchise continue with a third installment. Six years later, Zombieland 3 still has not received a green light, but there remains hope the film will still get off the ground. Unfortunately, fans could be in for a bit of a wait.
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Speaking with Deadline, Zombieland franchise director Ruben Fleischer provided an update on Zombieland 3. “I’m hoping that we’ll do a Zombieland 3 in 2029,” he said. “We’re starting to talk about that because [the first] one was 2009, and then we did the second one in 2019, and we kind of left that one all saying, ‘We’ll see you in 10 years.’ That’s coming up now, and so we’re starting to figure that out, so I’m hoping that’ll come together. Then, I’ve got a few things that are raring to go, so we’ll see which one comes first.”
The Wait for Zombieland 3 Is Frustrating, but Could Be for the Best
It’s great to hear Fleischer and Co. are beginning to have conversations about Zombieland 3, but fans probably won’t be thrilled to hear the movie won’t come to fruition for another handful of years. However, this has always been the plan for the threequel. During production of Double Tap, it was Emma Stone who suggested the gang reunite every 10 years to make a new Zombieland, turning extended gaps between entries into the franchise’s schtick. If Fleischer’s having talks about it now, it’s a sign that remains the intention. It’ll take time to put a script together and iron out deals with the in-demand cast.
Waiting until 2029 could benefit Zombieland 3 from a storytelling perspective. It allows Fleischer to return to the world when his characters have grown older, giving him an opportunity to approach the narrative from a different perspective. A decade after the events of Double Tap, Columbus, Wichita, and the others will be facing a new set of challenges as they continue to survive in a post-apocalyptic hellscape. There’s less of a danger of retreading familiar territory with the cast aged up, which would be for the best. Zombie action and gory violence are staples of the series, but the films were successful because audiences fell in love with the characters.
At the same time, there are some downsides to waiting this long. Comedy sequels have proven to be tricky nuts to crack; Hollywood is full of comedy legacy sequels that struggled to recapture the magic of the originals. Double Tap turned out well all things considered, but it still represented diminishing returns in terms of review scores, and the box office haul wasn’t significantly higher than the first Zombieland. It would be a shame if Zombieland 3 continued a downward trend after years of anticipation and potentially forced the franchise to end on a sour note. In that case, it’d arguably be better for the series to remain a duology.
Still, there are plenty of intriguing directions to take the story of Zombieland 3, organically building on the character dynamics and relationships established in the first two films. It’s encouraging that nothing is guaranteed yet. Whether or not Zombieland 3 actually happens could depend on how Fleischer’s discussions go and if he’s able to come up with a satisfying narrative. While the Zombieland team remains interested in another movie, it doesn’t sound like a third installment will be a cash grab. Patience is a virtue, and by taking extra time, Fleischer could craft the best Zombieland yet.
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Courtesy of Comedy Central
