Dragami Games has officially announced a live-action Lollipop Chainsaw movie, revealed at Tokyo Game Show 2026. The film is described as an R-rated action comedy and will serve as a prequel to the original Grasshopper Manufacture game, once again centering on Juliet Starling as she fights through a zombie outbreak at her school.
Use code TRYHARD33 at checkout to redeem this offer before code expires again.
Get 33% Off GAMES+ Subscription
From cult classic to live-action franchise
The announcement is the latest move in Dragami's ongoing push to turn Lollipop Chainsaw into a multi-format franchise. The studio already has an anime series and a video game sequel, Lollipop Chainsaw 2 Back2Back, in the pipeline. Adding a theatrical film to that slate signals that Dragami is treating this as a full franchise revival, not just a one-off nostalgia play.
The original game launched back in 2012 under Grasshopper Manufacture, built on the creative partnership between director Suda51 and writer James Gunn (now co-CEO of DC Studios). Dragami acquired the IP and released the remaster, Lollipop Chainsaw RePop, in 2024. The movie's production team does not appear to include either Suda51 or Gunn at this stage, which has already drawn attention from fans who consider their involvement essential to what made the original work.
The team behind the film
The project is being developed by an international production team. The names attached include Joe Teng of Nada Holdings, Robert Franke (former ZDF Studios drama executive), Takafumi Yuki of Throne Inc, Kirk Shaw of Ambitious Entertainment, and Patricio Rabuffetti of Non Stop TV. It's a broad international lineup, though none of the names carry the same cultural cachet as Gunn or Suda51 in the context of this franchise.
Dragami president Shohei Sato commented on the announcement: "We are truly excited to see our vision take another important step with the franchise's first live-action feature film. We are especially pleased to be working with such an experienced and passionate international team, one that understands what makes Lollipop Chainsaw special while embracing the opportunity to create something new."
Producer Franke added that the film aims to work for both longtime fans and newcomers: "Longtime fans will recognize the attitude, irreverence, and glorious excess they love, while newcomers can simply enjoy an unforgettable action-horror comedy."
What the prequel story looks like
The official synopsis positions the film firmly in familiar territory. When a zombie outbreak hits Juliet's school, she has to fight through the undead to protect her friends, her family, and her boyfriend Nick, which the synopsis notes may require "some highly unconventional arrangements." Anyone who's played the original knows exactly what that means.
The prequel framing is a smart angle. It sidesteps the need to recreate or canonize the game's specific story beats while still keeping Juliet front and center. For fans of horror games with a comedic edge, the setup should feel immediately familiar.
A franchise that keeps accelerating
Here's the thing: Lollipop Chainsaw spent roughly a decade as a cult classic that most people assumed was done. The RePop remaster changed that. Since its 2024 release, Dragami has moved quickly, stacking up a sequel reveal, an anime announcement, and now a live-action film in relatively short order.
The Back2Back sequel footage already has fans split, with many questioning whether the game can hold its identity without Suda51's direction. The movie faces a similar question at a different scale. Getting the tone right on an R-rated action comedy built around a chainsaw-wielding cheerleader is genuinely difficult, and the absence of Gunn's screenwriting sensibility is a real gap to fill.
For now, no casting news or release window exists to evaluate. What Dragami has is a concept, a production team, and a lot of franchise momentum to either build on or burn through. Keep an eye on further Tokyo Game Show announcements for any additional details as they surface, and if you're new to the franchise, the Lollipop Chainsaw RePop guides collection is worth bookmarking for when Back2Back eventually lands.
