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The zombie apocalypse landscape has dramatically shifted since Zack Snyder’s original Army of the Dead captivated audiences in 2021. What began as a promising franchise with ambitious expansion plans has now taken an unexpected turn. In August 2024, Netflix quietly canceled all future projects related to the zombie universe, including the highly anticipated sequel Planet of the Dead.
The Rise and Fall of a Zombie Franchise
When Army of the Dead first premiered, it was a massive success for Netflix. The film attracted an impressive 75 million households within its first 28 days, becoming the ninth most-watched Netflix Original movie in the platform’s history. The initial success sparked grand plans for multiple spin-offs and sequels, including:
| Project | Status | Original Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Planet of the Dead | Canceled | Direct sequel exploring zombie outbreak in Mexico |
| Army of the Dead: Lost Vegas | Canceled | Animated prequel series with completed voice recordings |
| Army of Thieves | Released | Prequel focusing on safecracker Ludwig Dieter |
What Went Wrong?
The cancellation came on the heels of Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon films, which received extremely poor critical reception. With Rotten Tomatoes scores of 22% for Part One and an even lower 17% for Part Two, Netflix seemingly lost confidence in Snyder’s ability to develop expansive franchises.
Unique Franchise Concepts
Before its cancellation, Planet of the Dead was set to introduce some fascinating narrative elements. Snyder had teased intriguing plot points such as:
- Exploring the potential time loop concept
- Investigating the alien origins of the zombie outbreak
- Following Vanderohe's journey after becoming an alpha zombie
- Potential introduction of robot zombies
A Glimmer of Hope?
While the film and animated series have been canceled, fans aren’t completely left in the dark. Deborah Snyder mentioned a themed experience coming to Six Flags theme parks for Halloween, offering a small consolation for disappointed zombie enthusiasts.
Why was Army of the Dead 2 canceled?
+The cancellation appears to be related to the poor critical reception of Zack Snyder's Rebel Moon films, which likely diminished Netflix's confidence in the franchise.
Was any work completed on Planet of the Dead?
+Yes, significant world-building and initial story development had been completed, with Snyder and writer Shay Hatten having mapped out potential narrative directions.
Can fans still enjoy the original Army of the Dead?
+Absolutely! The original film remains available on Netflix, and fans can still enjoy the first installment of this unique zombie heist movie.
While the dream of Army of the Dead 2 has been shelved, the original film remains a testament to Zack Snyder’s innovative approach to the zombie genre. Fans will have to content themselves with memories of the first film and the tantalizing “what-ifs” of the canceled sequel.