When it comes to the movie/musical, Disney has a formula, and it works. From its franchises of High School Musical to The Descendants to Zombies [we are talking Zombies 4 here] – these all work because they know what the viewer wants. Catchy songs, a storyline that keeps the viewer entranced, and high-powered choreography that makes the viewer want to learn all of the moves.
Disney knows what they are doing.
Tonight, their movie, Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires, premieres, and though we all know that it will mark a bittersweet moment for the franchise, it’s Disney’s formula that has us all anxiously awaiting the movie.
THE PASSING OF A TORCH
You may ask why it is bittersweet. Well, the thing with Disney is that there comes a time when you have to pass the torch. Actors get older, characters get older, and there comes a time to pass the torch [the franchise] on to new characters.
And that is what is happening here, in Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires. Star Meg Donnelly said to People, “On Zombies 3, I sobbed and mourned, then cried. I genuinely thought that was the last time we were doing a Zombies movie. So I feel like I kind of closed that chapter in my mind.”
And then continued, speaking of Zombies 4, “This was a whole new experience for me, being so excited, feeling all of the feelings that the kids felt. It was more so being an older sister or a mom. When we wrapped, I was just watching all the kids and seeing them cry and react. It was almost more like I’m just so excited for them. I definitely cried, for sure, but it was more so of just everything that we’ve been through personally, like Meg and Milo, not necessarily Zombies.”
“Casting these kids, knowing that we were passing this torch on, every moment that we spent with them, it just became clearer and clearer that they are the right ones to carry on the legacy of this franchise,” Milo Manheim added.
And the torch has been passed for them, but officially for Zombies fans when the movie premieres tonight on The Disney Channel.
Here’s everything we know.
THE CAST
- Milo Manheim as Zed
- Meg Donnelly as Addison
- Kylee Russell as Eliza
- Chandler Kinney as Willa
- Freya Skye as Nova
- Malachi Barton as Victor
- Swayam Bhatia as Vera
- Julian Lerner as Ray
- Mekonnen Knife as Varga
- Lisa Chappell as Eldress
- Mekonnen Knife as Vargas
- Swayam Bhatia as Vera
DIRECTOR
Paul Hoen
Screenplay
David Light & Joseph Raso
Josh Cagan
ONE-LINE SYNOPSIS
Zed and Addison discover the warring worlds of Sunnyside and Shadyside on a summer road trip after their first year of college, encountering two new groups of monsters.
SYNOPSIS
In the first three ZOMBIES movies, Zed and Addison brought human and monsterkind together in their hometown of Seabrook. Now, a new adventure dawns for the duo when their summer road trip takes an unexpected detour, landing them in the middle of yet another monster rivalry: Daywalkers vs. Vampires. Tensions flare when Zed and Addison find themselves acting as camp counselors between the two opposing supernatural factions. With the help of Eliza and Willa, they must convince sworn enemies Nova and Victor to try to unite their warring worlds before an even greater threat endangers them all.
TITLE REVEAL
TEASER TRAILER
TRAILER
PHOTOS
WHERE CAN YOU WATCH THE REST OF THE FRANCHISE
The first three movies in the Zombies franchise, as well as the animated series, Zombies: The Re-Animated Series, are available to stream now on Disney+.
THE PLACE TO BE MUSIC VIDEO
PRODUCERS
Executive Producers: Paul Hoen, David Light, Joseph Raso, Milo Manheim, Meg Donnelly, Jane Fleming, and Mark Ordesky
Co-Executive Producer: Mahita P. Simpson
Co-Producer: Josh Cagan
Producer: Skot Bright
POSTER
WHEN DOES IT COME OUT
Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires is a Disney Channel Original Movie. The movie will premiere on July 10 at 7 p.m. EST on Disney Channel.
It will be available to stream on Disney+ and Disney Channel On Demand the next day, July 11th.
