Disney’s favorite cheerleader and zombie couple are back in Zombies 3, the third installment of the ultra-popular Zombies films. On July 15, fans can once again return to Seabrook, where new supernatural species seem to arrive every year. The human cheerleader Addison (Meg Donnelly) and zombie football player Zed (Milo Manheim) are focused on reaching new heights in their high school careers before college, but their world is upended when aliens pay a visit.
Suddenly, the universe of Zombies 3 expands to fit another set of musical newcomers. And while they seem set on being joining the upcoming cheer-off, their true mission has more far-reaching implications. The ever-growing cast includes Chandler Kinney as Willa, Ariel Martin as Wynter, Pearce Joza as Wyatt, Carla Jeffery as Bree, Trevor Tordjman as Bucky, Kylee Russell as Eliza, Terry Hu as A-spen, Matt Cornett as A-lan, Kyra Tantao as A-li, James Godfrey as Bonzo and Kingston Foster as Zoey.
Screen Rant spoke to Manheim and Donnelly about Addison searching for her place in the universe, Zed searching for college acceptance, and how their offscreen friendship has grown since the first Zombies film.
Screen Rant: Addison has been on a journey to discover who she is and where she belongs all this time. How important is that in this third film?
Meg Donnelly: Very important. I think it’s one of the things that we touch on in this third film. When we start, Addison is very content with Zed and doing cheerleading; she’s gearing up for the big competition, and she’s going to college.
But then when the aliens come, it opens another door for her yet again – just like the werewolves. Maybe it’s like, “Is this where I belong? I don’t know.” It definitely is a very big topic of discussion, and I know everyone’s curious as to why she has the white hair, because they never answered that. So, hopefully you guys get some answers.
Speaking of college, Zed is desperate to be the exceptional zombie that gets to go first. How far is he willing to take that dream?
Milo Manheim: Look, Zed obviously wants to get into college because he would be the first monster to ever attend, which is a huge feat. But he wants to be with Addison, and she’s going to college – and if he doesn’t get in, that could possibly mean the ending of the relationship. So, the stakes are really high when it comes to getting into college.
That’s sort of the primary thing on Zed’s mind during this movie, but when he interviews with the scout, things kind of go crazy and he has to dig himself out of a little hole. But, we’ll see! You gotta watch the movie to find out.
You two put me through the wringer in this film. Can you talk about how you have grown together as scene partners?
Milo Manheim: Yes, we can. We’ve been talking about this a lot today, because it’s so true. When we watched the first movie, and we watch the third one, we’ve come so far.
Me and Meg, when we auditioned for this, we were paired up with different people. We were reading with other people; I was reading with different Addisons, she was reading with different Zeds. But we had a connection, because we were talking to each other in the lobby in the waiting room. They saw that, and they were like, “We need to try these two out.” And I’m so happy that they did, because now Meg is my best friend. We’re family, and we’ve been in this for six years together. It’s been such a crazy journey, and one that most people don’t really get to experience. It’s a crazy bonding experience.
We have an amazing huge cast, but not everybody has been there since the beginning. And I can say that I could not have done it without Meg. We’re in this together.
Meg Donnelly: I definitely could not have done it without [him].
The spirit of competition takes over much of Seabrook in this film. What are some things in life that you are very competitive with?
Meg Donnelly: Games?
Milo Manheim: I’m such a big gamer. And not a video gamer, but playing games. Like a lot of people, I get very competitive. I just want it to be fair; I don’t like it when people don’t play by the rules. It’s serious! Games are serious.
But I also compete with myself. I’m always just trying to better myself, and I feel like my only competition has got to be myself.
Meg Donnelly: Bars! Yeah, I agree with too. In games and stuff, I always start off like, “I don’t even care, whatever.” And then when we’re in it, I’m like, “Ahh!”
Addison does not yet know her place, but if you were deciding for her from all of the collections of species we have in Seabrook, where would you place her?
Meg Donnelly: I don’t know. Me myself, I would love to be a zombie, to be honest. I would love to have all of Eliza’s wardrobe, and be Bonzo and Zed. I would definitely want to be a zombie – or a mermaid!
Addison had a little like [moment] of being aware of, and that was really fun. That was a great costume.
Milo Manheim: You’d make a great zombie.
Meg Donnelly: I know you’re a zombie, but..
If you were switching it up, how would you switch it up?
Milo Manheim: If I had to be something else, I’ve always been super envious of the werewolf style. I would have to. I remember on Zombies 2 being like, “Dang, their costumes are so cool.” And now on Zombies 3 with the aliens, their costumes are insane. I didn’t think it could get better than that, but it did.
Zombies 3 Synopsis
It’s Zed and Addison’s final year at Seabrook and things are better than ever. The town has finally accepted monsters as a part of Seabrook and has become a safe haven for monsters and humans alike. Zed is on the cusp of receiving a football scholarship and becoming the first Zombie to ever attend college (and he’s excited to join Addison who has already been admitted). Addison is excited to mark the opening of the town’s brand new “cheer pavilion” by inviting cheer teams from all over the world to compete in an “international cheer-off.”
However, the town is shocked by the arrival of a new group of intergalactic outsiders – Aliens, who show up to compete in the cheer-off. Though they begrudgingly allow the Aliens to stay for the competition – the monsters and humans of Seabrook grow suspicious when they discover that the Aliens may be looking for more than a friendly competition.
Check out our other interviews with Zombies 3 stars Chandler Kinney, Ariel Martin & Pearce Joza as well as Trevor Tordjman, Kylee Russell & Carla Jeffery and Terry Hu, Matt Cornett & Kyra Tantao.
Zombies 3 premieres July 15 on Disney+.