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Zack Snyder’s ‘Army of the Dead’ Expands with Prequel Film and Anime Series

Netflix reveals plans for both new projects, being penned by Shay Hatten, based on characters from the upcoming action adventure feature set to premiere on the streaming giant in 2021.

Netflix has just let loose a stream of news surrounding the still in production Zack Snyder zombie action heist film, Army of the Dead, set for release in 2021. Big news, in fact: a new film prequel and an anime series. Shay Hatten, one of the Army of the Dead writers, will pen both the prequel as well as the anime series.

According to Snyder, “I’m incredibly excited for the opportunity to partner with Netflix again as we expand the Army of the Dead universe with both an international prequel, as well as exploring the visually dynamic world of animation. It’s been a great collaboration and we are thrilled that Netflix sees this as big of an IP as we do.”

Grimme Award winner Matthias Schweighöfer will both direct and star in the yet named multi-language prequel, which will follow his Army of the Dead character “Ludwig Dieter.” The film will be produced out of Germany by Deborah Snyder, Zack Snyder and Wesley Coller of The Stone Quarry, and Schweighöfer and Dan Maag of PANTALEON Films. 

“It has already been a great pleasure to be part of this wonderful ensemble around Zack Synder - a fascinating project. I am happy that it is now being developed on so many different levels," Schweighöfer said.

The new anime series, Army of the Dead: Lost Vegas, chronicles the origin story of Scott (Dave Bautista) and his rescue crew during the initial fall of Vegas as they confront the mysterious source of the zombie outbreak.  Zack Snyder will direct two episodes; Jay Oliva (Batman: The Dark Knight Returns and upcoming Netflix Original Anime Series Trese) will be showrunning as well as directing two episodes.  The series will be executive produced by Deborah Snyder, Zack Snyder, Coller from The Stone Quarry alongside Oliva and Hatten. Bautista, Ana de la Reguera, Tig Notaro, Omari Hardwick and Ella Purnell will reprise their roles in the anime series.

Army of the Dead marks Snyder’s return to the zombie genre; he made his directorial debut with the cult classic, Dawn of the Dead, for Universal Pictures in 2004. Army of the Dead features an all-star international cast led by Bautista, Purnell, De La Reguera, Theo Rossi, Huma Qureshi, Hardwick, Notaro, Hiroyuki Sanada, Garret Dillahunt, Schweighöfer, Raúl Castillo, Nora Arnezeder, and Samantha Win and is produced by The Stone Quarry’s Deborah Snyder, Zack Snyder and Coller. The film, which follows a group of mercenaries into a zombie infested Las Vegas, Nevada, who try to pull off the greatest heist ever attempted, will be released on Netflix in 2021.

Source: Netflix

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Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.