'Lollipop Chainsaw' Is Getting a Live-Action Prequel Film and an Anime Adaptation

The undead are about to get sliced up on the big screen. Unveiling their plans at Tokyo Game Show 2026, Dragami Games has officially announced a live-action feature film adaptation of the 2012 hack-and-slash video game Lollipop Chainsaw. Developed originally by Grasshopper Manufacture, the title breaks the mold with an unapologetically chaotic premise that follows high schooler and secret zombie hunter Juliet Starling. Armed with a heavy-duty chainsaw, Juliet violently carves her way through a full-blown zombie outbreak while accompanied by the highly talkative, magically preserved decapitated head of her boyfriend Nick. Now, that same over-the-top energy is being calibrated for a completely new medium, bringing the cheerleader’s blood-soaked survival story into live-action territory.

According to industry reports from Deadline, Dragami Games licensed out the property for the upcoming movie, which officially serves as a prequel set before the frantic events of the original game. Fans can expect the blood and banter to remain entirely intact, as Dragami Games president Shohei Sato stated the explicit goal for the project is to produce an R-rated action-comedy. Sato characterized the film adaptation as another important step for the burgeoning franchise. Adding to that creative vision, producer Robert Franke noted that the live-action project is being engineered to stand entirely on its own cinematic merits while remaining fiercely true to the hyper-violent aesthetics of the source material.

The original 2012 video game cemented an undeniable cult classic status and generated solid sales despite a mixed critical reception at launch. That lasting legacy was heavily buoyed by the creative pedigree of its original co-director Suda51 and its co-writer filmmaker James Gunn. However, Dragami Games has not yet indicated whether either Suda51 or Gunn will actually be involved with the upcoming live-action movie. Regardless of who takes the director’s chair, the prequel film is far from the only project in the pipeline. Dragami Games also confirmed that an anime project based directly on the first game is currently in active development, pushing Juliet’s chainsaw-wielding heroics into the animation sphere.

This aggressive dual announcement of both a film and an anime represents a massive multimedia expansion for the entire franchise, rapidly accelerating the momentum generated by the property’s recent 2024 video game remake. Transforming a singular, decade-old cult hit into a sprawling entertainment ecosystem signals that Dragami Games views Juliet Starling not just as a nostalgic gaming throwback but as a flagship cross-platform IP. This cinematic and animated expansion ultimately lays the cultural groundwork for the franchise’s next interactive chapter, as a full-fledged video game sequel officially titled Lollipop Chainsaw 2 Back2Back is currently scheduled for release in 2027.