6 Years Later, This Zombie Franchise Still Deserves a Third Movie

Horror comedies seem to be a common trend in recently released films. From Stephen King adaptations like The Monkey to A24 fantasies like Death of a Unicorn, studios are frequently deciding to utilize comedy within horror films. One of the best examples of a horror/comedy is the Zombieland franchise. With an incredible ensemble, including Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, and Woody Harrelson, and an all-time great cameo by Bill Murray, the duology successfully delivers on both genres, bringing a new perspective to the zombie film that made a massive impact on the viewer. Whether they are looking for a Twinkie or decapitating zombies, these films have great stories despite their absurdities.

Both Zombieland movies do an incredible job of building character and creating fantastic zombie sequences, and a third film is necessary to end a trilogy. With the way the second film wraps up, there are so many directions that the next film could go in, and it’s strange that there has yet to be an announcement for a third movie.

Why Is There Not a Zombieland 3 in Development?

Zombieland was a critical and audience hit upon release, scoring an 89% on Rotten Tomatoes from critics and an 86% from audiences. On a $23-million budget, the film went on to gross $102 million at the worldwide box office according to BoxOfficeMojo, making it a relatively big success for Columbia Pictures. Despite being a success on nearly every front, it took ten years for a sequel to come out. Zombieland: Double Tap was not as successful with critics, but still holds a fresh 68% on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences, however, gave it an 88% approval rating, surpassing the score of the original. With a doubled budget of $42 million, the film ended up grossing more than the first film, picking up $122 million at the worldwide box office. Despite receiving worse reviews, the box office of the sequel shows that people are still eager for more content in the Zombieland universe.

With the box office success and moderate acclaim of both films, why hasn’t a third movie been announced? There have been tons of rumors about why the studio has not greenlit the film yet, with a heavy emphasis on scheduling between the actors being the main issue. With actors like Emma Stone and Jesse Eisenberg becoming A-list movie stars since the release of the first film, it’s justifiable that they have yet to green-light a third movie. Director Ruben Fleischer and the rest of the cast have been asked numerous times, and while they have expressed interest, according to interviews, nothing has been set in stone on a potential third movie in the series.

Another reason why filmmakers may be skeptical about making a third movie is the failure of the 2013 television show, Zombieland: The Series. Acting as a reimagining of the original film, the series never made it beyond the pilot episode, as no studio picked up the show, which led to its eventual cancellation. Whereas that show failed for not having the original cast returning, people would be much more excited for a third Zombieland movie, as the cast is one of the main reasons why people enjoy the films.

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It wasn’t until the second movie that the filmmakers began to fully develop the world of Zombieland, introducing a plethora of new characters and locations for the characters to explore and call home. The end of Zombieland: Double Tap saw Columbus and Wichita, played by Eisenberg and Stone, getting engaged after a short-term break-up. The film also saw Nevada, played by Rosario Dawson, joining the main crew on their adventures as they drive away from Babylon. With newly introduced love interests and marriages, a third film could explore the idea of potentially raising children in a zombie apocalypse. Not only would this further develop the main antagonists, but it could strengthen the tension by giving the characters more to lose.

A third film also has the potential to make Little Rock, played by Abigail Breslin, a much stronger character. In both Zombieland movies, Little Rock is sidelined to the “child” role, being constantly told what to do by everyone around her, with too many rebellious subplots. In a third film, now that she has aged out of adolescence, it allows the writers and filmmakers to give her a stronger progression, other than the stereotypical “child in a horror movie” trope. Not only would a third Zombieland movie be a welcome addition to the franchise, but it would also give the filmmakers the opportunity to build on their previous work.

Even though the Zombieland movies aren’t making hundreds of millions of dollars in profit for their studio, they are extremely fun and well-made movies that deserve to have more sequels. With their signature sense of humor and incredible cast of A-listers, this is a franchise that should be pumping out new releases every few years, not every decade.

Do you think there should be a third Zombieland movie? Put in the comments below what you think Zombieland 3 should be about!