Confirming Internet reports, Sony Pictures has closed deals with director Ruben Fleischer, producer Gavin Polone, and screenwriters Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick for a sequel to Zombieland.
During the Thanksgiving holiday lull, Moviehole spoke with Fleischer about his plans for the inevitable Zombieland 2, who told the site he had ideas for 3-D but they were waiting on the go ahead from Sony. They’ve been given the green light and the brainstorming begins.
When the creative team talked sequels following the smash opening, the writers said they had originally conceived the story as a TV pilot, so the series lends itself to another zombie-killing adventure. No details on the plot are known yet, but hopefully they won’t transform Woody Harrelson into a self-aware zombie or any sort of disappointing variation.
The original cast, Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin, are ready to return. Sadly Bill Murray will not be back for the follow-up.
The Variety confirmation also mentions Paramount Pictures working on Jackass 3 using the extra dimension. Johnny Knoxville and friends will start filming January 25 for a 2010 release. Just what you’ve always wanted, a virtual teabagging, or an immersive experience as someone pisses on an electric fence.
The studios are banking off the continuing demand for 3D movies, especially as they expand the technique — or what some might call a gimmick — to include smaller budget movies like these. 3D TVs are expected to hit the market next year, so perhaps the home entertainment boost will be enough to usher in the new wave.
