Lollipop Chainsaw is getting a sequel, more than a decade after the game's release. The project, which is already in development, is being led by Dragami Games, the studio that launched the remaster Lollipop Chainsaw RePop last year for PC and consoles.
While specific details are being kept under wraps, the sequel "both preserves and builds upon the appeal of the original."
Released in 2012, the original Lollipop Chainsaw won over a cult audience with its stylized action hack-and-slash gameplay that starred 18-year-old Juliet Starling, a cheerful and deadly chainsaw-wielding cheerleader that fights off hordes of zombies and supernatural villains that have overrun her town and school. Accompanying her on her quest to hunt down these Dark Purveyors is her boyfriend Nick, who is simply a disembodied head hanging from her waist.
The original game was a collaboration between No More Heroes' Suda51 at Grasshopper Manufacture and legendary filmmaker James Gunn, well before his days of making Superman and running the DCU. And anyone familiar with Gunn's work before he became mainstream with Guardians of the Galaxy will notice his influence on the game's style.
The general absurdity of the game's premise -- an acrobatic cheerleader taking on zombies -- along with its pop-punk creative aesthetic is part of what made it so appealing. Bright sparkles and flashy visuals replaced the gruesome blood and gore found in traditional zombie-slaying games. The game was also loaded with dark humor and pop culture references, extreme violence portrayed with bubblegum pop visuals, and sexualized imagery. The sexualization of protagonist Juliet Starling is also what led to a bi of controversy, as many viewed the game as objectifying a young girl, especially with the constant focus on her body and the "upskirt" camera. Much of this was written off as intentional satire, although some critics rejected it as simply tasteless.
Despite the controversy, Lollipop Chainsaw has been fairly successful commercially where cumulative series sales have surpassed 1.5 million units. Recognizing the potential cultural trouble brewing with the release a new Lollipop Chainsaw game in 2025, the press release firmly states that the sequel will "honor the spirit of the original work." Key staff members who worked on the original game are returning for the sequel, which is being developed in close attention to fan feedback.
"As with the original, the new title aims to recreate a world rich in dark humor. The development process will prioritize staying true to the distinctive tone and spirit of the original work, without imposing excessive creative restrictions in the name of DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion)," the press release states.
A new Lollipop Chainsaw anime adaptation is also being development, but there are fewer details on that as well. Presumably, this will also embody the spirit of the game.