Milo Manheim did not immediately discern that he had landed on a veritable gold mine when he first got the lead role in the mega-popular monster movie musical Zombies in 2018.
With the fourth iteration of the franchise, Zombies: Dawn of the Vampires, debuting on July 11 on Disney+, Manheim and co-star Meg Donnelly are overflowing with gratitude to be a part of a record-breaking film where the two trained actors, dancers and singers are able to amalgamate all of their skills for one project.
The overarching message delivered in the four Zombies movies also enhanced the enjoyment of the experiences.
“I, of course, was very excited, but it wasn’t until I got older, just like, when I realized how lucky I really am to be a part of something with such an amazing message,” Manheim said. “I get to sing, dance and act. I get to be with beautiful people inside and out, and I get to be a part of a story that really spreads a great message and positivity.”
Manheim continued, saying, “So to be able to really sculpt the universe this time around, just felt right at home, and I was grateful to have Meg alongside me that whole time.”
Dawn of the Vampires will center around Zed and Addison as they encounter warring factions of Daywalkers and Vampires during a summer road trip after their first year of college. They find themselves acting as counselors at a summer camp where these two monster groups clash, and must work to unite them before a greater threat emerges. The film also introduces new characters, including the Daywalker Nova and the Vampire Victor.
Donnelly practically glowed as she waxed poetic about being a part of this Zombies phenomenon.
“It was so much fun,” Donnelly said. “Yeah, I think, like, just working on all the Zombies movies, it was just such a joy to come back. And it was just so nostalgic and so cool. And I think from the first movie on, like we, I mean, we’re just huge theater kids and huge theater nerds, so I think being able to, you know, sing and dance and act, but then also have it be film as well.”
Zombies: Dawn of the Vampires is released on July 11, but it remains to be seen if Disney will continue with the franchise after four installments.
“We take it one movie at a time, and it sounds like we do know, but we really don’t. Big part of it is that, you know, the world’s got to love it,” Manheim said. “So I know how much we love zombies, and we definitely have high hopes, because we know that it’s a fantastic film, but we gotta see how the world responds as well. So it’s really on y’all for Zombies 5 to come our way.”
