As one of the biggest Arnold Schwarzenegger nerds on the planet, I might be biased about this (okay I am definitely biased about this) but I think Maggie looks like one of the most interesting movies of the year. It’s a horror drama about a father trying to protect his daughter after she’s infected with some kind of zombie virus. The daughter is Abigail Breslin; the father is Schwarzenegger. Admittedly I don’t see (or hear) much of a family resemblance, but the themes this story touches on — parental responsibilities, broken families, an aging hero fighting against an increasing sense of irrelevance — jive perfectly with the stuff Schwarzenegger continues to explore throughout the latter half of his career.

This wave of darker Schwarzenegger films kicked off with End of Days and carried through all his films until his first retirement from Hollywood. When he returned to acting, he picked up right where he left off with films like Escape Plan and Sabotage. That said, Maggie’s also a big change of pace in that it’s more a horror movie than an action vehicle. Here’s the film’s synopsis from the Tribeca Film Festival, where Maggie will make its world premiere on April 22:

There's a deadly zombie epidemic threatening humanity, but Wade (Arnold Schwarzenegger), a small-town farmer and family man, refuses to accept defeat even when his daughter Maggie (Abigail Breslin) becomes infected. As Maggie's condition worsens and the authorities seek to eradicate those with the virus, Wade is pushed to the limits in an effort to protect her. Joely Richardson co-stars in this post-apocalyptic thriller. Lionsgate/Roadside Attractions release.

Maggie (a.k.a. Don’t Let Dem Stick My Zombie Daughter In Duh Choppah!) opens in theaters on May 22, a little over a month ahead of Terminator Genisys. What a glorious time to be alive.

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