Army of the Dead – Pictures: Netflix
Zack Snyder’s Army of the Dead is one of the most anticipated Netflix Original movies of 2021. It’s set to be Netflix’s summer blockbuster set with a May 2021 release date so let’s dive into everything we know so far about the upcoming movie.
Army of the Dead is an American action-horror heist film, written, created, and directed by Zack Snyder. This is the first film directed by Zack Snyder since his spent on Justice League (2017). Warner Brothers previously held the rights to the film but it was Netflix who eventually ended up picking it up the rights, giving Zack Snyder a $90 million budget to play with.
When asked why Warner Brothers dropped the movie, Snyder said in an interview that “They [Warner Brothers] didn’t want to spend that kind of money on a zombie movie or just didn’t take it that seriously. I was always like, ‘Look guys, this is more than just a zombie movie,’ but it fizzled out.’”.
Joby Harold (King Arthur: Legend of the Sword) and Shay Hatten (John Wick 3) helped Snyder write the story. Snyder is also serving as a producer along with Deborah Snyder and Wesley Coller.
First teaser trailer released for Army of the Dead
The first full teaser for the movie landed on February 25th and throughout its 1 minute and 13 seconds gave us the first glimpse of zombie-infested Las Vegas.
Beyond The Trailer, ran by Grace Randolph also scooped an interview with Zack Snyder on the day of the teaser release. You can watch that in full below.
When is the Netflix release date for Army of the Dead?
After months of waiting, we can finally confirm that Army of the Dead is coming to Netflix on Friday, May 21st, 2021.
Zack Snyder announced the news on his Twitter, accompanied by a great-looking poster for the Original.
Survivors take all. #ArmyOfTheDead on @Netflix May 21.
Teaser this Thursday. pic.twitter.com/sIgDoz6rmz— Zack Snyder (@ZackSnyder) February 21, 2021
What time will Army of the Dead be on Netflix?
For some subscribers Army of the Dead will be available to stream in the very early hours of Friday morning. This is because Netflix bases nearly all of its releases on Pacific Standard Time as the Netflix HQ is located in Los Gatos, California.
European subscribers will see Army of the Dead arrive in the mid to late morning. As for subscribers in Asia and Oceania, you’ll be waiting until the late afternoon and early evening on Friday, May 21st.
| Time Zone | Time available to stream |
|---|---|
| Pacific Standard Time | 12:00 AM (GMT-7) |
| Mountain Standard Time | 1:00 AM (GMT-6) |
| Central Standard Time | 2:00 AM (GMT-5) |
| Eastern Daylight Time | 3:00 AM (GMT-4) |
| British Summer Time | 08:00 AM (GMT +1) |
| Central European Summer Time | 09:00 AM (GMT+2) |
| Eastern European Summer Time | 10:00 AM (GMT+3) |
| India Standard Time | 13:30 PM (GMT+5:30) |
| Japan Standard Time | 16:00 PM (GMT+9) |
| Australian Eastern Time | 18:00 PM (GMT+10) |
| New Zealand Standard Time | 19:00 PM (GMT+11) |
Will Army of the Dead be released worldwide?
Yes! Zack Snyder’s zombie heist Original will be available to all subscribers worldwide.
Zack Snyder on the set of Army of the Dead – Copyright. The Stone Quarry
What is the plot of Army of the Dead?
The following plot synopsis has been provided by Netflix:
Following a zombie outbreak in Las Vegas, a group of mercenaries take the ultimate gamble, venturing into the quarantine zone to pull off the greatest heist ever attempted.
Who is in the cast of Army of the Dead?
The following cast members have been confirmed for the Army of the Dead:
| Role | Cast Member | Where Have I Seen/Heard Them Before? |
|---|---|---|
| Scott Ward | Dave Bautista | Guardians of the Galaxy | Avengers: Infinity War | Spectre |
| Kate Ward | Ella Purnell | Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children | Never Let Me Go | Kick-Ass 2 |
| Cruz | Ana de la Reguera | Nacho Libre | Narcos | Eastbound & Down |
| Frank Peters | Garret Dillahunt | 12 Years a Slave | Deadwood | No Country for Old Men |
| Mikey Guzman | Raul Castillo | Atypical | Seven Seconds | We the Animals |
| Vanderohe | Omari Hardwick | Kick-Ass | Power | The A-Team |
| Ludwig Dieter | Matthias Schweighofer | You Are Wanted | The Most Beautiful Day | The Manny |
| Hunter Bly | Hiroyuki Sanada | The Twilight Samurai | Sunshine | The Wolverine |
| TBA | Tig Notaro | One Mississippi | Instant Family | Walk of Shame |
| Lily | Nora Arnezeder | Paris 36 | Safe House | The Words |
| Chambers | Samantha Jo | Wonder Woman | Arrow | Justice League |
| Burt Cummings | Theo Rossi | Luke Cage | Sons of Anarchy | Lowriders |
| Geeta | Huma Qureshi | Gangs of Wasseypur | Dedh Ishqiya | Badlapur |
| Misty Hillman | Chelsea Edmundson | Thunder Road | Midnight, Texas | The Black String |
| Mr. Hillman | Steve Corona | The Lone Ranger | Breaking Bad | Graves |
| TBA | Rich Cetrone | Lethal Weapon | Man of Steel | Thor |
Is Army of the Dead a sequel to Dawn of the Dead?
The concept of Army of the Dead did begin as a sequel to Zack Snyder’s Dawn of the Dead.
Whether or not the story takes place in the same world as Dawn of the Dead is at the discretion of Zack Snyder. Regardless, even if the film does take place in the same world as Dawn of the Dead, the plot of Army of the Dead has nothing to do with the former.
Why did the film take so long to produce?
Rather than direct the film, Zack Snyder would take on a role as a producer. This was because he was working on Watchmen at the time when Army of the Dead was announced. Matthis van Heijningen Jr. was set to direct the film but the film was put on ice for a number of years until Netflix revived the project.
Snyder’s involvement in DC’s expanded universe was one of the reasons why Army of the Dead was on the ice for so long.
Army of the Dead is Zack Snyder’s return to the director’s seat after taking a sabbatical to spend time with his family. He’s expressed his excitement to return to filmmaking in an interview with THR stating:
“There are no handcuffs on me at all with this one…I thought this was a good palate cleanser to really dig in with both hands and make something fun and epic and crazy and bonkers in the best possible way…I love to honor canon and the works of art, but this is the opportunity to find a purely joyful way to express myself through a genre. It will be the most kick-ass, self-aware but not in a wink-to-the-camera way balls-to-the-wall zombie freakshow that anyone has ever seen. No one’s ever let me completely loose.”
What is the production status of Army of the Dead?
Current Production Status: Ready for release
The first round of filming began on July 15th, 2019, and concluded by October 27th, 2019.
The onset locations are spread across Los Angeles, California, and Alburquerque, New Mexico.
If you’ve been following the project in any depth, you’ll know the movie has been in development in some form since 2004. Matthijs van Heijningen Jr. was attached to the movie in 2010 but that fell through.
Reshoots have taken place to include actress Tig Notaro in the cast. The actress is replacing Chris D’Elia after allegations of sexual harassment and grooming were made public.
Entertainment Weekly posted the first look photos for Army of the Dead – Copyright. Netflix
What is the run-time for Army of the Dead?
Alongside the trailer (see above) it was announced that the length of the movie would be 2 hours and 19 minutes.
Zack Snyder's Army Of The Dead runtime is 2 hours and 19 minutes.#ArmyOfTheDead pic.twitter.com/MmEmfiOcIQ
— 𝗚𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝘄𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 (@Itssan17) February 25, 2021
What is the rating?
At a minimum, Army of the Dead will receive an R-Rating. For subscribers in the UK, this means the film will be rated at least a 15. But thanks to all the guts and gore we can look forward to an NC-17 (18 in the UK) rating more likely.
Dave Bautista (left) and Ella Purnell (right) in Zack Snyder’s Army of the Dead – Copyright. Netflix
What’s coming next to Netflix in the Army of the Dead universe
Zack Snyder’s world of Army of the Dead will be expanding beyond the main movie release..
- A prequel movie believed to be called Army of the Dead – Meanwhile In… Germany set before the events of Army of the Dead is coming to Netflix in the near future. Filming for this occurred between October and December 2020.
- Army of the Dead: Lost Vegas (an anime series) will see Dave Bautista, and others from the movie return to reprise their roles in the anime. The series will also see some new exciting voices join the world of Army of the Dead.
Are you looking forward to the release of Army of the Dead? Let us know in the comments below!