LOLLIPOP CHAINSAW Is Revving Up for an R-Rated Movie Prequel

Chainsaws, zombies, cheerleading, and one very talkative severed head are headed for the big screen. Lollipop Chainsaw is officially getting the movie treatment, with plans to turn the cult video game into an R-rated action-comedy prequel.

The original Lollipop Chainsaw was released in 2012 and followed Juliet Starling, a high school cheerleader who also happens to be a secret zombie hunter.

When an undead outbreak tears through her town, Juliet grabs her chainsaw and starts carving her way through the horde. Along for the ride is Nick, her boyfriend, or more specifically, his still-living decapitated head.

The hack-and-slash game received mixed reviews when it launched, but it sold well and eventually developed a loyal cult following. It also had some serious creative talent involved, including Grasshopper Manufacture's Goichi "Suda51" Suda as co-director and James Gunn as co-writer.

According to Deadline, Dragami Games has licensed Lollipop Chainsaw for a feature film after previously working on 2024's Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP. Rather than retelling the game, the movie will take place before its events.

The plan is to make an R-rated action-comedy, which is a natural fit for a franchise built around Juliet slicing zombies apart with a chainsaw while embracing its ridiculous sense of humor.

Dragami Games president Shohei Sato described the movie as “another important step” for the franchise. Producer Robert Franke also says the adaptation intends to capture what fans enjoy about Lollipop Chainsaw while creating something that works as its own movie.

One notable detail is who's currently missing from the announcement. Neither Suda51 nor Gunn is mentioned as being involved with the film, so fans hoping to see the game's original creative team reunite for the adaptation shouldn't count on that just yet.

The movie is only one piece of a larger Lollipop Chainsaw comeback. An anime adaptation of the first game is also in development, while a recently announced sequel is planned for 2027.

A prequel gives the filmmakers plenty of room to play without simply recreating the story from the game. The big question is what part of Juliet's life it'll explore and how closely it'll connect to the other projects now in development.

If they can nail the bloody action, twisted comedy, and wonderfully ridiculous personality of the game, a Lollipop Chainsaw movie could be a wildly fun ride.