With around 72 million households expected to be tuning in over the next four weeks since the movie’s premiere on Netflix,Army of the Deadis projected to be one of the most-watched movies ever released on the streamer in its first four weeks. From director Zack Snyder, whose directorial debut was the 2004 zombie flickDawn of the Dead, the movie was one of the most anticipated releases of the year. That shows with the tremendously high viewership pulled in on Netflix, as touted by the streamer with a post on Twitter.
“72 million households are betting on dead,” the tweet reads. “Army of the Deadhas been the #1 film around the world and is projected to be one ofNetflix’s most popular filmsever in its first 4 weeks.”
Army of the Deadis directed byZack Snyder, who co-wrote the script with Shay Hatten and Joby Harold. Snyder also produced alongside Deobrah Snyder and Wesley Coller. The zombie movie features an ensemble cast including Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick, Ana de la Reguera, Theo Rossi, Matthias Schweighöfer, Nora Arnezeder, Hiroyuki Sanada, Tig Notaro, Raúl Castillo, Huma Qureshi, and Garret Dillahunt.
TheNetflix original moviefollows a group of mercenaries carrying out a heist on a Las Vegas casino in the midst of a zombie outbreak. Many fans have particularly praised Dave Bautista’s performance, surprised by the emotional range shown by the actor in the gory zombie flick. As for if the story will continue, Zack Snyder has said that a sequel is possible if there’s a desire from the fans to see it. There currently isn’t anArmy of the Dead 2officially in the works, but if it ever happens, Snyder says he and co-writer Shay Hatten already know where to take the story.
In the meantime, theArmy of the Dead universe will still be expandedwith multiple prequels in the works at Netflix. Schweighöfer reprises his role as Ludwig Dieter in the prequel movieArmy of Thieves, which also stars Nathalie Emmanuel, Guz Khan, Ruby O. Fee, and Stuart Martin. The story is set before the events ofArmy of the Deadduring the early stages of the outbreak. Shay Hatten wrote the screenplay with Snyder contributing to the story, and Schweighöfer directs.
An animated series calledArmy of the Dead: Lost Vegasis also in development. The anime-style series will feature the voice talents of Bautista, Purnell, Reguera, Notaro, and Hardwick reprising their roles from the movie. Joe Manganiello, Christian Slater, Harry Lennix, Anya Chalotra, Vanessa Hudgens, Jena Malone, and Ross Butler also star. Similarly set during the early days of the zombie outbreak in Los Vegas, the series serves as an origin story for Bautista’s Scott Ward, though Manganiello’s Rose serves as the protagonist.
It’s unclear when the animated series will be released, butArmy of Thievesis expected to arrive on Netflix sometime this year. Until then, the originalArmy of the Deadcan be streamed on Netflix for anyone who has yet to see it (or revisit it). This news comes to us fromNetflix Film on Twitter.
