Some genres refuse to die. There’s a touch of irony to that statement, given that the era of zombies is back (again) and quite possibly stronger than ever. Zombie movies have been making waves for what feels like generations, terrorizing and thrilling fans while showcasing the terrifying feats of the undead. Horror history is littered with zombie films and franchises, though some have left a larger imprint on our memories than others. The zombie horror trend has admittedly come and gone a few times, and all signs point to another zombie resurgence, and we are here for it. The latest Paramount news helps solidify this fact.
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In case you didn’t hear the latest undead news, Paramount Pictures has announced its intention to bring a decade-old movie back for another run. That’s right, World War Z is finally getting the teased sequel, proving that zombies will never stay down for long. It’s sort of their thing.
The Zombie Moment of the Early to Mid-2000s
People love zombies and creatures of the undead. It’s a fascination that society never wants to fully let go of, though we can clearly get burned out on a subject. We’ve all seen its popularity wax and wane, and realistically, we know that this current wave will probably come to an end within the next few years.
The early 2000s brought several new zombie franchises to the forefront, including a film adaptation of the beloved video game series, Resident Evil. The first film hit theatres in 2002, with new additions coming out every few years. Notably, the Resident Evil films were a little bit hit or miss, especially later additions that didn’t necessarily follow the source material.
This same zombie boost gave rise to 28 Days Later, a post-apocalyptic horror film starring Cillian Murphy. Let’s be real, this movie is still one of the most unforgettable zombie movies of its time. A mere two years later, Shaun of the Dead hit the scene. The latter is a zombie comedy that put a fresh spin on a premise similar to the classic Dawn of the Dead, so it immediately earned a soft spot in our hearts (or is it brains?).
Coming Back to Life During the 2010s
The zombie phenomenon died back a bit after that, though films like Zombieland squeezed in between bursts of popularity. When a treasured comic series got a TV adaptation, we saw the beginning of another wave. The Walking Dead took the world by storm in 2010, and it still has a strong hold over a dedicated audience. This franchise quickly spiraled, with spinoffs still popping up to this day.
It was this boost in popularity that allowed Max Brooks’s World War Z to get an adaptation, albeit one that doesn’t follow the book all that closely. Paramount put a lot of faith (and money) into the adaptation, and while it made its money back, the margin was small enough to presumably cause some hesitation about that promised sequel.
The same year World War Z was released, there was another notable adaptation. Warm Bodies was a zombie romantic comedy based on Isaac Marion’s novel. Obviously, the Resident Evil movies were still in full swing. Let us not forget other zombie classics of the time, such as Train to Busan (2016), Anna and the Apocalypse (2017), and Juan of the Dead (2011).
Zombies Are on the Rise Again
The returned promise of a World War Z sequel is the latest addition proving the zombie train is on the move. HBO was quick to lock in the rights for a live-action adaptation of The Last of Us. Season 1 broke waves and records, and that almost certainly got a lot of other streaming services paying attention. Season 2 continued to make waves, increasing the stakes, breaking our hearts, and portraying a new take on the zombie story, complete with infected humans and haunting settings devoid of humanity.
Last, but certainly not least, we have to acknowledge the impact made by 28 Years Later. This post-apocalyptic film is the long-awaited sequel to the 28 Days Later franchise, releasing over two decades after the first movie infected our nightmares. If people weren’t falling back in love with the living dead before this point, they certainly were after. 28 Years Later reportedly pulled in over $150 million worldwide, easily beating the budget. In other words, it was enough to get Paramount searching for IP to revive.
World War Z’s sequel could be primed to debut before the latest zombie craze comes to an end, bringing Brad Pitt back for another daring adventure. Fans have been waiting a long time to see what this sequel has to offer.
Are you glad to see zombies making a comeback? Let us know in the comments below!
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Image Courtesy of DC Comics -
Image Courtesy of DC Comics
