'Zombieland 2' Officially Confirmed; Original Cast Set to Return
"Zombieland 2" is now officially confirmed, with the zombie flick getting a sequel to the 2009 original. The original cast will be back as well, with Sony Pictures even managing to hand the reins back to Ruben Fleischer, who directed the surprise hit movie nearly a decade ago.
Sony Pictures have delivered on what "Zombieland" fans have been clamoring for — a return to the horror-comedy post-apocalyptic world with the original stars and production team intact, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Aside from the main cast and the director, the media group also managed to bring back the original "Zombieland" writers for this project, Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese, fresh from their box office hit "Deadpool 2." Sony Pictures was able to bring back Gavin Polone as a producer, as well.
The first "Zombieland" was a critical and commercial hit that surprised even the studio that made it, considering that the budget for the film was just a bit under $24 million at the time. It went on to haul in $102.3 million in worldwide sales and secured a cult following of its own.
The original movie followed socially awkward Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) as he flails from one mishap to the next while trying to survive the zombie apocalypse that has taken over the world. Along the way, he meets and joins up with Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), Wichita (Emma Stone), and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin), as Screen Rant recapped the 2009 blockbuster.
All four will be back for the upcoming new movie, as Columbia Pictures president Sanford Panitch confirmed in a statement. "This is one of those projects that fans have wanted to see happen for a long time — and no one wanted to see it happen more than Emma, Woody, Jesse and Abigail," he said.
"These are some of the most in-demand actors, and I think they are making this movie because they love these characters," Panitch added.