Director Ruben Fleischer Doubtful About Zombieland 2
Posted 07.18.11 by Ryan
If there's one thing that's for sure about Zombieland 2, it's that no one is confident it will happen.
In November of 2009, just over a month after Zombieland was released, director Ruben Fleischer confirmed that Sony wanted a 3-D sequel, with Fleischer admitting to seeing an early draft of the sequel screenplay from Zombieland screenwriters Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick last September. However, instead of moving forward with the sequel, Fleischer added more projects to his schedule (having finished August's 30 Minutes or Less, Fleischer starts shooting Gangster Squad in September), while Wernick and Rheese admitted they were still working on the script.
In February, Woody Harrelson admitted he was uncertain about a Zombieland sequel, a sentiment echoed by co-star Jesse Eisenberg, who said earlier this month that "the longer we wait, the less relevant it will be."
Fleischer, meanwhile, said in June that Zombieland 2 could follow Gangster Squad, but in a recent press interview with The Playlist for 30 Minutes or Less, Fleischer admitted that he's doubtful of a sequel.
It’s something we’d all like to do, but the reality of it happening depends on finding a script that we’re all excited to get aboard, so until then that happens it's gonna continue to be in the... "not-happening-process." The thing is that we’ve all said is the only reason to do it is if it’s better than the original and I don’t think anyone wants to do it, just to do it. And certainly no one is going to do it just for the money — it's not like any of us could get rich off it anyway so I think, without trying to sound arrogant, the bar is super high. And we've been holding it to that.
While Fleischer's comments seem to throw screenwriters Rheese and Wernick under the bus for not producing a script everyone is happy with, the director did compliment their work so far.
[Rhett and Paul] wrote something and it was really great. A script exists. We all are excited of the prospect of making the movie, but I guess we all haven't found the perfect story to tell yet.
So, to recap, it's a "great" script that no one wants to move forward with. That probably isn't going to fill fans with confidence. With two years on the books, there will already have to be some accommodation made to the aging of the youngest cast member, Abigail Breslin, though, from the sound of Fleischer's comments, they may not have to bother.