‘Z Nation’ Is Rising From the Grave as The Asylum Announces the Sequel Series ‘Z Nation: Resurrection’
Zombie stories have a way of refusing to stay buried, and the shows that feature them are no different. Even after the genre’s biggest franchises peaked, fans kept the undead alive through reruns, memes and endless “when is it coming back?” questions. That persistence is now paying off for one cult favorite.
The Asylum, the studio behind the ‘Sharknado’ films, is reviving its horror-comedy series ‘Z Nation’ with a new sequel. The project is titled ‘Z Nation: Resurrection‘, and The Hollywood Reporter broke the news in an exclusive on Tuesday. It arrives 8 years after the original show went off the air.
According to the report, the new series will be set in the same zombie-infested world as the original, several years after the events of the first show. It will follow a new generation of survivors, while some familiar faces may return. The Asylum is promising a story that goes somewhere bigger, darker and more unpredictable.
Fans of the original cast have reason to pay attention. Warren, played by Kellita Smith, Murphy, played by Keith Allan, Doc, played by Russell Hodgkinson, and Citizen Z, played by DJ Qualls, are all in talks to join the new series in supporting roles. As with any deal still being negotiated, nothing is confirmed.
Even so, the possibility of seeing the old crew back on screen is a big part of the appeal. For viewers who stuck with the show through 5 seasons of chaos, those characters were the heart of the series. A new generation of survivors could carry the story forward while the veterans bring continuity.
The studio’s David Rimawi, a co-founder and executive producer, told The Hollywood Reporter that “‘Z Nation’ has never really gone away.” He added that the fans have kept the world alive, and that for years the studio has heard the same question about when it would come back. The new series, he said, offers a chance to return to the characters and universe audiences love.
The Asylum is partnering with Vital Signs Entertainment, the company founded by former Syfy executive Thomas P. Vitale, to produce a 10-episode first season. The studio is shopping the project to international buyers at the MIPCOM market in Cannes this week. David Michael Latt and Paul Bales of The Asylum are executive producing alongside Rimawi and Vitale.
The original ‘Z Nation’ ran on Syfy for 5 seasons and 68 episodes, from September 12, 2014, to December 28, 2018. It was positioned as the network’s answer to the popularity of ‘The Walking Dead’, and it starred Harold Perrineau and Tom Everett Scott. The story took place in the US 3 years after the country was ravaged by zombies.
The show was a strong performer on Friday nights, averaging just under 1.5 million viewers in its first season, and Syfy renewed it halfway through that run. It stood out for its mix of gore and humor, a tone that suited The Asylum, which is best known for B-movies that lean into over-the-top spectacle. That fearless, funny approach is a big reason it built a cult following.
The franchise did not end with the series. The world was later expanded by the prequel ‘Black Summer’, which aired for 16 episodes across 2 seasons, though a third season never materialized. The original ‘Z Nation’ has also found a second life, with reports that it is available to watch for free on YouTube.
The Asylum had also teased online that a big announcement was coming, building anticipation before the news broke. That kind of buzz suggests the studio sees real value in the brand, and in the fans who have kept asking about it.
Zombie fiction has faced a long-running question: is there anything left to say? A sequel set years after the original gives the creators room to explore a changed world, with new characters, new dangers and a fresh perspective. It also avoids the problem of simply retelling a story that has already been told.
For The Asylum, which has built a business on scrappy, high-concept genre projects, the revival is a chance to build on a property with a loyal audience. Whether it lands on a major network or a streaming service remains to be seen, since the studio is still shopping it to buyers. Details on casting, a premiere date and a platform have not yet been announced.
What are you most excited about in 'Z Nation: Resurrection'?
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