Zombieland director Ruben Fleischer recently spoke with CinemaBlend about the sequel to the popular zombie comedy. Fleischer says a script is in the works, and anticipates Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin will return, though no deals have yet to be established.
Fleischer is currently in production on 30 Minutes or Less, a comedy in which Eisenberg stars alongside a host of hot comedic performers: Danny McBride, Fred Ward, and Aziz Ansari.
And while Fleischer praised Rhett Reese and Paul Wenick’s Zombieland 2 script as “amazing,” he’s also noted he’s got other “irons in the fire,” including a Dreamworks buddy cop movie, and Mike White’s Babes in the Woods. So, Zombieland 2 may not be rushing into production any time soon.
But a wait could prove positive, as Eisenberg and Stone both have movies coming out (The Social Network and Easy A respectively) that could raise their profiles, and thereby the production budget of the sequel. Which could certainly come in handy, as Fleisher’s told MTV he’s looking to do 3-D, though to be clear:
“When it comes to 3-D, I feel pretty strongly that you should shoot it in camera…I feel like it just looks so much better. If you’re going to make a 3-D movie, go ahead and make a 3-D movie. I would definitely, if we do ‘Zombieland 2,’ make it in 3-D and want to shoot it in 3-D.”
When asked about James Cameron’s criticism of 3-D being used for horror films, claiming they “cheapen the medium,” Fleischer responded:
“I love 3-D…I thought ‘Avatar’ was a complete revolution. But I even love ‘My Bloody Valentine 3-D’ — the schlockier movies that are in 3-D. I think it’s cool to see stuff fly at your face. The idea of zombies splattering into the lens is exciting for me. I understand Mr. Cameron’s point as far as not overdoing it and not making it gimmicky. I still go for that stuff. That’s the part I’m excited about.”
And while the script seems to be in a place of flux, Fleischer has dropped hints to imply it may be more prequel than sequel:
“What’s fun about the sequel is we have freedom and flexibility to show different periods. We might have scenes before the zombies, or we might have some months after, or potentially stuff further down the road. Through the voice-over and the way the movie is structured, we can really explore all different sides of it.”
Regardless of how it pans out now or later, 3-D or not, as long as Fleischer, Reese and Wenick return with Columbus, Tallahassee, Wichita, and Little Rock in tow, I’m all in.
Will you return for more living dead in Zombieland 2?