Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters director to make sequel to zombie nazi pic Dead Snow

February 12th 2013, 1:07pm

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Director Tommy Wirkola, who wrote and directed the 2009 Norwegian horror-comedy DEAD SNOW as well as the recently released HANSEL AND GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS is returning to his native Norway to jump back into the undead genre with a sequel to his nazi zombie pic. Titled DEAD SNOW: WAR OF THE DEAD, the sequel will be released in both English and Norwegian with the story picking up just after the first film, following “the sole survivor of a Nazi zombie attack who battles an even larger army of Zombies with the help of the Zombie Squad, a professional gang of zombie killers from the US.”

Although HANSEL AND GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS didn’t get rave reviews, it didn’t crash and burn at the box office as expected and has actually garnered more than $100 million at the worldwide box office with more markets still left to open in. Wirkola seems genuinely excited to return to the zombie genre, saying:

I am delighted to step back into the world of Nazi zombies yet again with Dead Snow: War Of The Dead, a world that is very close to my heart. Ever since we premiered Dead Snow at Sundance 2009, I’ve been getting questions on a sequel, and now, after Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters has been released, the time is finally right. We have a script that I am super excited about, which is bigger, scarier, funnier, more action-filled and gorier than the previous one, and I can’t wait to unleash another horde of undead Nazi zombies onto the world again.”

Sounds good. Now, I’ve had numerous people beat me over the head to watch DEAD SNOW, which is nestled comfortably in my Netflix queue and I don’t have a good excuse for not watching it yet, but this news has certainly swayed me to find the time. I haven’t seen HANSEL AND GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS yet, because, well, it’s one that I reserve for Netflix viewing. The vicious cycle continues.

Wirkola is set to shoot DEAD SNOW: WAR OF THE DEAD later this year with a release date to follow. More as it develops.