Zombies (2018 film)

Zombies is an American musical and dance 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.

Zombies
Promotional poster
Genre
Based onZombies & Cheerleaders
by David Light & Joseph Raso
Written byDavid Light & Joseph Raso
Directed byPaul Hoen
Starring
ComposerGeorge S. Clinton
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producers
ProducerMary Pantelidis
CinematographyRobert Drinkmann
EditorLisa Jane Robison
Running time94 minutes
Production companiesPrincessa Productions, LTD
Release
Original networkDisney Channel
Original releaseFebruary 16, 2018 (2018-02-16)
Chronology
Followed byZombies 2
External links
Production website

Plot

Fifty years ago in the planned community of Seabrook, an accident at the Seabrook Power Plant resulted in an explosion which caused half the population of Seabrook to turn into brain-eating zombies. Those that weren't affected constructed a wall to quarantine the zombies from the rest of Seabrook in a territory called Zombietown. The government later created bracelets for zombies, called Z-Bands, that deliver soothing electromagnetic pulses to keep zombies from craving brains. In the present day, zombie students from Zombietown transfer to the human high school, Seabrook High, where suburban life is filled with uniformity, traditions, and pep rallies. The zombies in the school are patrolled by Dale, whose daughter Addison and nephew Bucky are on the school's cheerleading team.

Addison begins a relationship with a zombie student named Zed, who is an exceptional player on the school's football team due to his Z-Band being hacked by Eliza, one of his zombie friends. Addison and Zed's relationship is initially unknown to all of the students and staff except two of Zed's zombie friends, Eliza and Bonzo. Bucky, who leads the cheerleading team, is jealous of Zed's popularity and makes sure Addison isn't able to meet him. Addison is invited by Zed to attend the zombie party in Zombietown. She attends and has a private moment with Zed in the "zombie park". Just before the pair can kiss, however, the Zombie Patrol crashes the party and takes away Addison. At home, Dale and his wife Missy, the mayor of Seabrook, find out that she has a new crush and advise her not to do any cheering until they know who it is, not knowing that the crush is a zombie. The next day, Zed shows up on Addison's doorstep looking human. He and Addison leave her house and go on a date, where he admits he's been messing with his Z-band. Addison tells him that it is the others that have to change, not him.

On the day of the homecoming game, Bucky finds out about Zed's Z-Band hack and has his followers Stacey, Tracey and Lacey steal Eliza's laptop to hack the Z-Bands. They succeed, resulting in Zed, Eliza, and Bonzo turning "full zombie" and being taken away by the Zombie Patrol.

Most of the cheerleaders, including Addison and Bree, show their sympathy for the zombies at the game. Addison tells the crowd it was Bucky and his followers that led Zed to transform into a full zombie. She then rips off her wig exposing her naturally white hair, which she had hidden due to the residents of Seabrook being against anything different.

Bucky eliminates all of the zombie-supporting cheerleaders following the incident. When the cheerleader competition nears, Addison and Bree find Zed and Bonzo trying to stop Eliza from sabotaging the competition, and after Eliza talks with her friends, she realizes that doing so is not the right thing to do. Bucky's team is failing because they do not have enough members, so Zoey, Zed's little sister, tries to get in and help him. At first, Zoey is booed by the crowd, but with help from Addison and Zed, the zombies and cheerleaders come together to make a cheer routine during the Cheer competition. Zed and Addison tell each other they love each other.

The zombies and humans reunite with each other via a block party in Zombietown.

Cast
  • Milo Manheim as Zed, a zombie who wishes to be on the football team.
  • Meg Donnelly as Addison, a teenage cheerleader who wears a blonde wig to cover her naturally white hair.
  • Trevor Tordjman as Bucky, Addison's self-centered cousin who leads the Seabrook High School's cheerleading team.
  • Kylee Russell as Eliza, a zombie that is friends with Zed.
  • Carla Jeffery as Bree, an aspiring cheerleader whom Addison befriends.
  • Kingston Foster as Zoey, Zed's little sister who desires to have a dog since zombies are forbidden to have pets.
  • James Godfrey as Bonzo, a zombie who is friends with Zed and mostly speaks zombie language that has to be translated by Zed and/or Eliza.
  • Naomi Snieckus as Ms. Lee, the principal of Seabrook High School.
  • Jonathan Langdon as Coach, the unnamed coach of the Seabrook High School's football team.
  • Paul Hopkins as Dale, Addison's father who is the Chief of the Zombie Patrol.
  • Marie Ward as Missy, Addison's mom who is the mayor of Seabrook.
  • Tony Nappo as Zevon, Zed and Zoey's father.
  • Emilia McCarthy as Lacey, a female cheerleader that is friends with Bucky and a member of the Aceys.
  • Mickeey Nguyen as Tracey, a male cheerleader that is friends with Bucky and a member of the Aceys.
  • Jasmine Renee Thomas as Stacey, a female cheerleader that is friends with Bucky and a member of the Aceys.

Production
The set of Seabrook High School in Toronto, Ontario.

Production on the film began in May 2017.[1][2] The film was shot in Toronto over 10 weeks.[3]

Release and response

The film premiered on Disney Channel on February 16, 2018.[4]

Ratings

During its premiere in the 8:00 PM time slot, Zombies attracted a total of 2.57 million viewers with a 0.46 rating for people aged 18–49.[5] Over its premiere weekend the movie reached 10.3 million viewers over 8 airings.[6]

Accolades
Year Award Category Recipients and nominees Result Ref.
2019 Canadian Cinema Editors Awards Best Editing in Family, Television Movie or Series Lisa Robison Nominated [7][8]

Sequel
Main article: Zombies 2

In February 2019, it was announced that a Zombies sequel was going into production with returning stars, director, and writers; filming took place in spring 2019.[9][10] Production began on the sequel in May 2019, with Pearce Joza, Chandler Kinney, and Ariel Martin joining the cast of the film.[11] Zombies 2 premiered on February 14, 2020.[12]

References
  1. Greg Evans (May 11, 2017). "Production Begins on Disney Channel's Zombies for 2018 Premiere". Deadline. Retrieved December 24, 2017.
  2. "Production Has Begun on Disney's Zombies, a Music- and Dance-Filled Movie, Set for 2018 on Disney Channel" (Press release). Disney Channel. May 11, 2017. Archived from the original on September 30, 2017. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
  3. Peter Larsen (February 15, 2018). "Disney Channel's Zombies arrives with hope that zombies and humans in high school can all get along". Orange County Register. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  4. Kirsten Chuba (January 5, 2018). "TV News Roundup: Disney Sets Premiere Date for Zombies Original Movie". Variety. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
  5. Mitch Metcalf (February 20, 2018). "Top 150 Friday Cable Originals: 2.16.2018". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  6. "Disney Channel's Original Movie "Zombies" Reaches 10.3 Million Viewers Over the Holiday Weekend" (Press release). Disney Channel. February 20, 2018 – via The Futon Critic.
  7. "9th Annual CCE Awards". CCE. Retrieved 2020-10-21.
  8. "Canadian Cinema Editors Awards (2019)". IMDb. Retrieved 2020-10-21.
  9. Bruce Haring (February 11, 2019). "Disney's Zombies 2 Sequel Heads into Production with Returning Stars, Director, Writers". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  10. Stacey Grant (July 15, 2019). "Everything We Know About Disney's "Zombies 2"". Seventeen. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
  11. Denise Petski (May 21, 2019). "Zombies 2: Pearce Joza, Chandler Kinney & Ariel Martin Join Disney Channel Movie". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  12. Mitch Metcalf (February 18, 2020). "Top 150 Friday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 2.14.2020". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
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