Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires stars Milo Manheim and Meg Donnelly have shared their hopes for the future of the franchise. The stars have played teenage zombie Zed and half-human, half-alien cheerleader Addison respectively in all four installments of the Disney Channel musical franchise.
In addition to starring in 2025’s Zombies 4, the stars executive produced the new installment, which follows Zed and Addison mentoring a young vampire, Victor (Malachi Barton) and a young daywalker, Nova (Freya Skye), hoping to stoke their burgeoning love and foster peace between their tribes.
ᴅᴇᴀᴅline recently sat down with Milo Manheim and Meg Donnelly to discuss the release of Zombies 4. During their conversation, the topic turned to the potential Zombies 5. When asked if they would sign on for another installment, both expressed interest in a new installment being made, though neither necessarily committed to appearing in it.
Manheim said that the universe of Zombies “can go any direction,” and that “the world could always use another Zombies movie,” while Donnelly said that it’s “just the start” of the story for Victor and Nova and that there needs to be a sequel following them. Read their full quotes below:
Milo Manheim: I think that one of the amazing things about this franchise is that we’ve kind of created this universe that can go any direction. We’re really just expanding and literally getting outside of Seabrook. So I’m curious to see what happens. I think the world could always use another Zombies movie.
Meg Donnelly: I feel like this movie, because the four of us are involved, it’s very split between the two. I think it’s literally just the start of the kids’ story, and I feel like there needs to be another one to tell their story.
Milo Manheim: It’s almost like the first three movies were one trilogy, and then this is like the start of another trilogy.
What This Means For Zombies 5
Their Support Could Help It Get Made
As the stars point out, the franchise is well-prepared for a new sequel. In addition to Zed and Addison pᴀssing the torch to Victor and Nova as the new leads of the franchise, the ending of Zombies 4 left the door open for a sequel involving aquatic creatures, most likely mermaids.
A line in the Zombies 4 song “Possible” literally features Addison singing the lines “It feels like forever since we were your age/We’re pᴀssin’ you the torch, so don’t hesitate.”
Ultimately, it remains to be seen if Zombies 5 happens. It will most likely depend on the performance of Dawn of the Vampires during its first 30 days or so on Disney+. Should the movie generate as much subscriber revenue compared to its budget as the previous Zombies movies, the franchise will very likely continue with a fifth installment.
While Manheim and Donnelly may not appear in the potential Zombies 5, they could potentially return as executive producers. In addition to allowing them to help shape the story and make sure it feels of a piece with the previous four installments, this means that they might participate in the promotional campaign, helping bring attention to the project.
Our Take On Milo Manheim & Meg Donnelly’s Zombies 5 Comments
Could The Franchise Work Without Them?
The Zombies 4 cast was already significantly reduced, only featuring four legacy characters out of the more than a dozen recurring characters in the franchise. However, the prospect of a Zombies 5 without Zed and Addison doesn’t necessarily feel right, especially because Victor and Nova feel too much like clones of those characters to function on their own.
While the Descendants franchise has managed to carry on with a renewed cast after 2024’s The Rise of Red, so far the precedent is for Disney Channel musical franchises to end once their core casts depart. This has been the case for High School Musical, Teen Beach Movie, and beyond.
Thus, while Manheim and Donnelly both seem invested in the future of the franchise, it might not continue much further beyond Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires if they don’t appear in the movie.
Source: ᴅᴇᴀᴅline
