The Zombieland: Double Tap cast continues to grow, with the new addition of Silicon Valley star Thomas Middleditch.
Middleditch joins the original cast of Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Woody Harrelson and Abigal Breslin for the long-awaited sequel, according to a report by Variety. He is the latest in a string of big additions to the film, including Zoey Deutch and Rosario Dawson.
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There is no word yet on what role Middleditch, or any other newcomers will play in the movie. Zombieland: Double Tap will reportedly pick up ten years later in the apocalyptic world set up in the first one. It will find the heroes migrating inland, coming up against zombies who are adapting and evolving, as well as fellow human survivors.
In his career, Middleditch has tended to play nervous, nerdy characters, most notably as Richard Hendricks on HBO’s Silicon Valley. There, he is the unlikely inventor of a revolutionary technology, trying to conquer the ever-fluctuating tech world as a young CEO.
More recently, Middleditch has become the face of Verizon, appearing in many commercials for the wireless provider throughout a long-running ad campaign. Middleditch also has a role in the upcoming Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and other projects.
If his new character is anything like Richard Hendricks, Middleditch will be right at home in the world of Zombieland. The first movie followed the perspective of Eisenberg’s character, Columbus, who was a jumpy nerd having survived the zombie apocalypse through his wits and his carefully regimented procedures.
With that in mind, it is possible Middleditch will play a kind of foil for Columbus, forcing him to acknowledge things about himself he may have been avoiding. The synopsis notes that the movie will focus on the evolution of the main characters’ “makeshift family,” so it will be interesting to see how newcomers factor into those dynamics.
The original Zombieland hit theaters in October of 2009. It earned $75 million at the domestic box office, with a budget of just under $25 million. That included a hilarious cameo by Bill Murray, who is allegedly set to return this time around, as well. That reports also states that he will be joined by Dan Aykroyd, and both will play themselves.
This time around, Zombieland: Double Tap was written by original writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, with additional help from Dave Callaham. Original director Ruben Fleischer also returned. The movie will premiere on Oct. 11, 2019 — two days after the 10 year anniversary of the original.
