EXCLUSIVE: After seven years and four films, Zombies stars Meg Donnelly and Milo Manheim feel like the franchise is still just getting started.
The duo, who also serve as executive producers on the upcoming Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires, have in many ways grown up on the set of these Disney Channel originals. They were in their teens when they took the roles of Zed and Addison, who have sought over the course of the last three films to unite human and monsterkind together in their hometown of Seabrook.
In Zombies 4, they tell Deadline they’re passing the torch to a new generation of actors so that the franchise can continue to connect with younger audiences while also honoring the fans who have been with them since 2018.
“It’s almost like the first three movies were one trilogy, and then this is like the start of another trilogy,” Manheim says.
Seven years ago, leading one of Disney Channel’s most popular franchises to date was nowhere on their radar. Now, they reflect on the experience so far with a bit of awestruck wonder, almost as if they can’t believe how their careers have unfolded.
In addition to the interview below, Deadline can also share the exclusive behind-the-scenes video above in which Manheim and Donnelly unpack the “life changing” experience of playing Zed and Addison and give viewers a taste of what to expect from Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires.
Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires
Disney Branded Television
DEADLINE: When you signed on for the first Zombies movie, did you ever think that you might be sitting here promoting a fourth film? What keeps you coming back?
MILO MANHEIM: No, absolutely not. I didn’t think we would be talking about Zombies 2, let alone Zombies 3, let alone Zombies 4. I think when I got into this, I just wanted to be in a cool movie for Disney. But now I think the reason I’m still here is because of all the positivity I’ve seen the Zombies franchise bring the world. I mean, also, it’s just really fun to make movies with fun people. I feel like it always has a great message, but it’s always told in such a fun, palatable way. Also, you just get to travel and meet cool people and continue spreading good vibes. So who wouldn’t want to do that?
MEG DONNELLY: It’s really cool, I think, the concept of me and Milo kind of passing the torch to a whole new generation of kids that grew up on the movie — which is so wild, because in my mind, it’s still like seven- to eight-year-olds that are watching, and they are, but like now the oldest fans that watched it when it first came out are in college.
MANHEIM: I know people come up to us and they’ll be like, ‘I loved you when I was a kid,’ and I’m like, ‘What?! You are a kid! I’m a kid!’
DONNELLY: So, in that way, the whole process has been just so wild and so meta and very surreal. It’s such a unique opportunity that we have to kind of help this new cast out, and it was awesome.
MANHEIM: I’m just grateful that our new cast is so amazing. We really lucked out with all of them. So this torch is in good hands.
DEADLINE: How did you know that you wanted to become executive producers?
MANHEIM: I feel like some actors really just like to take a deep dive into their character and analyze, and that’s important. That’s all that needs to be done. But I think that there are other actors that can’t help but think about other characters and the world and whatnot. Me and Meg have always been that way. So when this opportunity came around, I think it was like, not only do we want to do this, but I think that we’ve been very valued in these positions, and we come up with a lot of great stuff, and I’ve learned a lot about why we can and can’t do things. Obviously the creative side is super fun, but also the logistics side was really interesting to learn as well. But I don’t know. How do you feel about all this, Meg?
DONNELLY: I always wanted to be on the other side of things. I just thought, what better way to do it than with Milo, and also on a movie that has been in my life for almost 10 years? It’s very family oriented. So it was a cool, comfortable way to just learn more about the other side of things. It was really, really eye opening, especially as an actor, because I feel like a lot of times just don’t realize everything that’s happening behind the scenes, and there’s a lot of stakes happening. It was just really cool to learn about it all and be involved. It just felt very full circle that we get to have a say now in this movie that we’ve been a part of [for so long].
DEADLINE: What was the experience like? Do you feel like your voices were valued in those rooms where decisions were being made?
MANHEIM: I think I definitely needed Meg to give me some confidence towards the beginning, because we would always only tell each other our ideas or things that we were thinking from the start, and then we would push each other to be like, ‘Alright, let’s just at least throw it out there and see.’ I found, especially in the audition process, it’s all just a very fluid thing. Everybody is so amazing. It’s like putting together a puzzle. So anytime you can, [you should] voice anything you’re feeling that helps us narrow which direction we want to go down. Once we read the script, I found that the few things that would stick in my mind were also the things that Meg was thinking about. That’s very validating to know our heads are in the same place. I definitely felt valued. I mean, we made some good changes to this movie, I think.
DONNELLY: I think it the casting was a huge part [we contributed to]. It was really cool to be a voice for the kids as well, to talk to the producers. It was just a really, really cool thing as a fan girl as well. I grew up such a fan girl, and I’m such a fan of just Disney Channel original movies in general. To me, the romance is everything. So to have a part of like, ‘Oh, I know that 12-year-old me would want to see this’ [and] being able to let my inner girlie come out, it’s just really cool.
DEADLINE: What have been some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned about yourselves and your work through this franchise?
MANHEIM: I think for me, this was a very slow lesson that I continue to learn. But on the first one, I know that we’re the leads of this movie, but we still we’re so young, we feel quite small, like the energy we bring is not going to affect how this all goes. That’s what you’re thinking when you begin. But then I think as I’ve just done this more and more, I realized the importance of just bringing a good vibe. I mean, I know it sounds kind of dumb, but especially on a set like that, where everyone’s kind of new, you’re only doing it for three months, and then it’s over. We’re all trying to figure out the vibe. Is this a good time to do this? What are some don’ts? So I think you just let people know this is a very collaborative environment, you should voice yourself. I think that’s an important vibe to set that I brought to other jobs as well.
DONNELLY: Agreed, retweet. I think, for me, personally, I’ve always loved dancing, and that was something that I’ve always wanted to pursue. So the choreographer, Chris Scott, just saw that in me and in all the cast and just really brought our confidence out in that way. I think because of Chris and all the dancers in Toronto, I’m just forever grateful, because I think, especially with dancing, but just confidence as a whole, they really made me feel a lot more confident in what I can do. It’s still a work in progress, but I definitely think it kind of started there.
DEADLINE: Zombies 4 is introducing vampires into the franchise. What should we expect from the upcoming movie, especially in regards to how it expands the universe?
MANHEIM: Like every other introduced species to this franchise, the vampires and the daywalkers bring a cool culture [to the film]. They each have their own area that they live in that is very distinct. Their clothes and their powers — dude, they have really cool super powers. The tension in this movie is a lot higher stakes. So I think that you have that push that everything just kind of levels up a little bit. I’m just curious to see if people are Team Daywalker or Team Vampire.
DEADLINE: You mentioned earlier how the audience has really grown up with these films, as have you. Do you think that’s been reflected in the stories being told in the fourth film versus the first one?
DONNELLY: I think so. I think with the kids in this movie…they just bring a whole new energy to the movies. But it’s really cool because it balances with the four of us — Eliza, Willa, Zed and Addison, they’re a lot more mature and a lot more grounded. There’s such a stark difference between the scenes of the older kids versus the younger kids. I think it’s really cool, because we’ve never seen that in Zombies, because we’ve all been the same age and in the same grade.
MANHEIM: Yeah, that’s what makes this movie particularly awesome, is that it stays true to the Zombies vibe…but then we have a new sort of dilemma between the OGs. We call them the Fantastic Four. So, it’s cool to see us grow in that way and also keep the root of the movie still there.
DEADLINE: So do you think there’s more story to tell here? Are you ready to sign on for Zombies 5?
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.
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 their story.
MANHEIM: It’s almost like the first three movies were one trilogy, and then this is like the start of another trilogy.
DEADLINE: You both have been working since you were quite young, and child stars tend to have mixed emotions about their upbringing in this industry. Now that you are adults and are taking on more influential roles within your projects, how do you reflect on your experience as a child in this industry?
MANHEIM: It’s interesting. I started at about 16. I feel like I’m grateful I didn’t start any earlier than that. I definitely still have my own things that I’m working on, because I started so early, but then again, I had such a great experience with Disney. In any job, you come up with different things that don’t really work for you. I think when you start so early, you don’t really know the type of person you are. I feel like for the most part, everyone’s treated really well here, and we’re heard and listened to. I just really value going to these new places and meeting new people. So, I hope to work with Disney for a long time, honestly, and I love that we’re speaking to the youth as well.
DONNELLY: I started when I was eight. So I feel like the stakes are always really high for me because of that. I think when you’re younger and you’re auditioning and you’re doing these jobs, you can’t tell the difference between just doing a job…because when you’re a kid, everything is so high stakes. It’s really hard for me to overcome that now, and it’s gotten so much better, but I think that’s the biggest challenge, identifying: Who am I? Also, not to take everything at such high stakes. Everything’s going to be so fine. But yeah, my experience with Disney has been nothing but amazing, and I’m really grateful for that.
