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SYFY WIRE casting

Casting: Thomas Middleditch tapped for Zombieland 2; Jane Levy added to Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist

By Josh Weiss
Thomas Middleditch

We've got your casting roundup right here!

The cast for the Zombieland sequel is growing with A-listers, while NBC undertakes the onus of producing a full-fledged musical series about reading other people's thoughts. Can it be done? Only time will tell, but at least the pilot has a leading lady. 

Ok, introduction over. Let's get to the casting goodies!


Variety reports that Thomas Middleditch (Godzilla: King of the Monsters) has been "tapped" for the cast of Zombieland 2, whose subtitle was previously revealed to be Double Tap.

The follow-up has been 10 years in the making, but reunites director Ruben Fleischer (Venom) with his original cast members: Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin. Even the original's screenwriters, Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese, returned to pen the script. 

Middleditch, who is best known for playing Richard Hendricks on HBO's Silicon Valley, was not seen in the first movie, but he won't be the only new face. Rosario Dawson, Avan Jogia, and Zoey Deutch will also be playing never-before-seen characters.

And since Bill Murray played himself in the first film, there are rumors that Dan Aykroyd will be the second Ghostbusters alum to join in on the fun of the post-apocalyptic franchise. But we shall see about that when Zombieland: Double Tap opens in theaters Oct. 11. 


At NBC, Jane Levy (Castle Rock) has been cast as the titular character in the pilot for the musical dramedy, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, per Deadline.

Written and produced by Austin Winsberg (Jake in Progress), the show centers around a socially awkward coder in her late twenties, who suddenly gains the ability to read the thoughts of others. Moreover, these inner monologues only she can hear turn into lavishly-produced musical numbers. 

Paul Feig (Ghostbusters 2016), originally slated to direct the first episode, has stepped down due to scheduling conflicts, but remains on as an executive producer. Richard Shepard (Girls) will direct the pilot instead.