Z-O-M-B-I-E-S is a four-movie science-fiction/supernatural-drama/musical franchise on the Disney Channel. The original premiered in 2018 to massive tween audiences. It was directed by Paul Hoen with music by George S. Clinton and Amit May Cohen. The cast reunites for three additional sequels.
The plot largely centers on the friendship and romance between Zed, a zombie, and Addison, a half-human/half-alien cheerleader. The two, and their friends, endure a number of threats to their fragile alliance at Seabrook High. The second film begins after a groundbreaking semester at the school, as a new group of outsiders — mysterious Werewolves — threaten the campus' newfound unity and cause a rift between Zed and Addison. The third film begins after what happened in Addison's Moonstone/Monster Mystery with the crew being in their senior year of High School, when a new group of outsiders - Aliens - arrive and prevent Zed from getting into the same college as Addison.
Based on the book Zombies & Cheerleaders by David Light and Joseph Raso, the films follow the same plot.
Film series[]
Z-O-M-B-I-E-S (2018)[]
Main article: Z-O-M-B-I-E-S
Zombies is an American musical and fantasy Disney Channel Original Movie that premiered on Disney Channel on February 16, 2018. The film is based on Zombies & Cheerleaders by David Light and Joseph Raso, and stars Milo Manheim and Meg Donnelly, playing zombie football player Zed and human cheerleader Addison who meet and fall in love, and who must lead their respective groups to coexist with each other. A sequel, Zombies 2, premiered on Disney Channel on February 14, 2020. A third and final film was green-lighted in 2021.
Production on the film began in May 2017. The film was shot in Toronto over 10 weeks.
Z-O-M-B-I-E-S 2 (2020)[]
Main article: Z-O-M-B-I-E-S 2
Zombies 2 is an American Disney Channel Original Movie that premiered on Disney Channel on February 14, 2020. The film is a sequel to the 2018 Disney Channel Original Movie Zombies, and stars Milo Manheim and Meg Donnelly.
Z-O-M-B-I-E-S 3 (2022)[]
Main article Z-O-M-B-I-E-S 3
A third film, titled Zombies 3, was announced in March 2021, with filming set to take place in Toronto in spring. It premiered on July 15 2022 on Disney+ and is a sequel to the 2020 Disney Channel Original Movie Zombies 2, and stars Milo Manhiem and Meg Donnelly.
Z-O-M-B-I-E-S 4: Dawn of the Vampires (2025)
Main article Z-O-M-B-I-E-S 4: Dawn of the Vampires
A fourth film titled Zombies 4, was announced on November 23rd 2023 through a Productions weekly article. It was officially green-lit by Disney on February 10, 2024, with filming set to take place in the spring in Auckland, New Zealand.
Cast members and Prominent characters[]
| Films | Television | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Character | Z-O-M-B-I-E-S | Z-O-M-B-I-E-S 2 | Z-O-M-B-I-E-S 3 | Z-O-M-B-I-E-S 4: Dawn of the Vampires | Z-O-M-B-I-E-S: The Re-Animated Series | Addison's Moonstone/Monster Mystery |
| Addison Wells | Meg Donnelly | |||||
| Zed Necrodopolis | Milo Manheim | |||||
| Bucky Buchanan | Trevor Tordjman | Trevor Tordjman | ||||
| Bree | Carla Jeffery | Carla Jeffery | ||||
| Bonzo | James Godfrey | James Godfrey | ||||
| Eliza Zambi | Kylee Russell | |||||
| Willa Lykensen | Chandler Kinney | |||||
| Wyatt Lykensen | Pearce Joza | Pearce Joza | ||||
| Wynter Barkowitz | Ariel Martin | Ariel Martin | ||||
| A-Lan | Matt Cornett | |||||
| A-Li | Kyra Tantao | |||||
| A-Spen | Terry Hu | Terry Hu | ||||
| Zoey Necrodopolis | Kingston Foster | Kingston Foster | ||||
| Lacey | Emilia McCarthy | |||||
| Stacey | Jasmine Renée Thomas | |||||
| Tracey | Mickeey Nguyen | |||||
| Jacey | Noah Zulfikar | |||||
| Principal Lee | Naomi Snieckus | Naomi Snieckus | ||||
| Dale Wells | Paul Hopkins | |||||
| Missy Wells | Marie Ward | |||||
| Zevon Necrodopolis | Tony Nappo | |||||
| Coach | Jonathan Langdon | Jonathan Langdon | ||||
Spin-offs[]
Animated spin-offs[]
Addison's Moonstone/Monster Mystery[]
- “I need to find my missing piece.”
- ―Addison Wells in the introduction
Zombies: Addison's Moonstone Mystery is a series of animated shorts based on the Disney Channel Original Movie, Zombies. It premiered on October 16, 2020 on Disney Channel. The series takes place after Zombies 2. A second season, titled Addison’s Monster Mystery, was confirmed by Disney due to the very positive ratings and fan requests. The second season premiered on October 2, 2021 on Disney Channel.
Z-O-M-B-I-E-S: The Re-Animated Series Shorts[]
Zombies: The Re-Animated Series Shorts is a 3D animated miniseries. It was produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. It premiered on July 21, 2023 on Disney Channel. It is available for streaming on Disney+, which began on September 27, 2023. The series takes place after Zombies 3.
Z-O-M-B-I-E-S: The Re-Animated Series[]
Zombies: The Re-Animated Series is a 3D animated series made by the same production team as the miniseries and the episodes have a longer run time. It began streaming on Disney+ on June 29 and first premiered on June 28, 2024 on Disney Channel.
Prequel Spin-offs[]
Wolf Tales[]
Wolf Tales is a series of shorts revolving around Addison, Willa, Wyatt, and Wynter. The series takes place somewhere in Z-O-M-B-I-E-S 2, possibly before or after Call to the Wild was performed. It's a mix of animation and live-action scenes. The stories Willa, Wyatt, and Wynter tell take place before Z2 and possibly before the events of the whole franchise.
Alien Tales[]
Alien Talkes is a series of shorts revolving around A-Li, A-Lan, and A-Spen. The series takes place after Z-O-M-B-I-E-S 3. It’s a mix of animation and live-action scenes. The stories A-Li, A-Lan, and A-Spen tell take place before Z3 and possibly before the events of the whole franchise.
Junior novelization[]
A junior novelization of the film Z-O-M-B-I-E-S was published in 2018, the year of the movies' release.
Other books[]
TBA
Trivia[]
- In the book(s), the Aceys didn't exist.
- The franchise was originally planned as a Disney Channel TV series.
- Z-O-M-B-I-E-S 2 was the final DCOM released before the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020.
- Z-O-M-B-I-E-S 3 is currently the only movie in the franchise that is not a DCOM.
- This is the fourth Disney Channel Original Movie franchise to recieve a fourth installment after Halloweentown, Descendants, and High School Musical. Although the latter two received spin-off movies.