It took a decade to get a second Zombieland movie made. Now that Zombieland: Double Tap is ready to premiere in theaters on October 18, it's hard not to wonder about what comes next, though. Should the follow-up be well-received, is there a plan in place to revisit the world one more time? Does Double Tap set up a third installment of the franchise?
It does not, but that doesn't mean this is the end. In fact, star Emma Stone might have already figured out the future of the franchise. "Emma said that something that's super funny to me, which is she hopes that every ten years, we can make a Zombieland," director Ruben Fleischer shared during a group interview with a small number of outlets. "Almost like in a Boyhood or something-type way, we can just check in with our characters and see how they're doing in the post-apocalypse."
For those that don't remember, Boyhood is the 2012 film by Richard Linklater that was filmed over 12 years and tracked a child's life from six years old through college. It's notable for using the same cast throughout 12 years of production, with new footage filmed once or twice each year.
While chances are this recipe wouldn't work for a franchise like Zombieland, it certainly is fun to think about. Naturally, any future continuation of the series will depend on how audiences react to Double Tap. "I think we all have so much love for this movie and for each other that it would be a joy to get back together again and make another movie, but it obviously hinges on what audiences think of [Double Tap] and we would also have to come up with a story worth telling again," Fleischer explained.
However, the director revealed that if another film in the series doesn't happen, Double Tap could serve as a satisfying ending. "This one resolves in a very satisfying way. And so who knows, maybe over time, we'll come up with an idea that would make sense to reunite our heroes and see what they're up to," he said. "But I think I think these are kind of special movies and we all have a lot of respect for them."
Zombieland: Double Tap is in theaters on October 18.
