Prepare for a return to Zack Snyder’s post-apocalyptic world.
Zack Snyder successfully launched a new fantasy horror franchise for Netflix earlier this year with Army of the Dead, which chronicled a daring casino heist in zombie-ridden Las Vegas.
The director’s post-apocalyptic vision of the future will be expanded in upcoming prequel Army of Thieves, which provides a welcome return for one particular member of the Army of the Dead cast.
German actor Matthias Schweighöfer will reprise his role of safecracker Ludwig Dieter in the upcoming film, alongside a cast that includes Fast & Furious star Nathalie Emmanuel and Man Like Mobeen’s Guz Khan.
The first Army of Thieves trailer dropped in July, which sees Dieter approached by a crew for a big new score, timed to take advantage of the chaos sparked by the United States’ zombie virus epidemic.
Read on for all the essential details on Netflix’s Army of Thieves, including release date, cast, trailer and its connection with Army of the Dead.
Army of Thieves release date
There’s no specific release date for Army of Thieves just yet, but we do know that Netflix is intending on releasing the film in the fourth quarter of 2021 (via Variety), so expect it to arrive sometime between October and December 2021.
Netflix planned two Army of the Dead spin-offs based on their confidence in the original film, with Army of Thieves being first up, before animated prequel Lost Vegas arrives in 2022.
Army of Thieves cast
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Army of the Dead star Matthias Schweighöfer returns to the role of eccentric safecracker Ludwig Dieter in this follow-up, leading another ensemble heist crew.
Ludwig’s recruiter Gwendoline is played by Nathalie Emmanuel, who got her start in Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks, before becoming a big name genre star with roles in Game of Thrones, The Maze Runner and Fast & Furious.
Army of Thieves has enlisted another top British talent in two-time BAFTA nominee Guz Khan (Man Like Mobeen), who will be playing getaway driver Rolph, with Stuart Martin (Miss Scarlet and the Duke) also set to appear.
Much like the zombie film that preceded it, Army of Thieves has an international cast that includes Costa Rica’s Ruby O Fee, France’s Jonathan Cohen, Austria’s Peter Simonischek and French-Japanese director Noemie Nakai.
Is Army of Thieves a sequel to Army of the Dead?
Army of Thieves is a prequel to Army of the Dead, set several years before the events of Zack Snyder’s zombie blockbuster, in the early days of America’s war against the undead.
Fans of Army of the Dead should expect a markedly different type of film in Army of Thieves, with Snyder promising “more safes and less zombies” in the spin-off.
Dieter is back, with more safes and less zombies. ???????? Don’t miss the Army of Thieves @Comic_Con panel this Sunday, July 25 at 2 pm PT. #ComicConAtHome #ArmyofThieves pic.twitter.com/IM2m9j3d4n
— Zack Snyder (@ZackSnyder) July 20, 2021
In addition to taking the lead role, Matthias Schweighöfer also directed the film from a script by Snyder and his Army of the Dead co-writer Shay Hatten.
“I was super pleased because it tells the story of Ludwig Dieter before the Army of the Dead film,” Schweighöfer tells RadioTimes.com and other press. “So it will be a huge heist movie with huge, huge, huge, heist stuff you’ve never seen before.”
He continued: “It’s a big blockbuster and it’s a lot of fun. That’s what I can say. And it will be interesting how that connects to the zombie world of Zack, but we are all very excited and it’s just the start of a big universe.”
Aside from Schweighöfer, no other Army of the Dead stars are expected to appear in Army of Thieves, but we can’t entirely rule out a surprise post-credits sting.
Army of Thieves trailer
In July 2021, Netflix revealed the first teaser trailer for Army of Thieves, reintroducing us to the mischievous Ludwig Dieter as he crosses paths with an all-new crew of characters. Watch below.
Army of Thieves is coming soon to Netflix. While you’re waiting, check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight.