Army of the Dead is crossing the line by introducing a zombie white tiger – here’s what the creature reveals about Zack Snyder’s upcoming Netflix movie. Army of the Dead takes place during a zombie outbreak, but one that has seemingly been contained inside Las Vegas. The Sin City tourist destination is surrounded by a wall of shipping containers and guarded by a heavy military presence, with no one left inside but the reanimated corpses of gamblers, revelers and employees. What happens in Vegas really does stay in Vegas, apparently.
The Army of the Dead trailer introduces a variety of undead enemies for Dave Bautista and his friends to plow through. The Vegas strip is rammed with the traditional Romero “shambler” zombies – slow, plodding and gormless – but Army of the Dead is also packed with Alphas – fast zombies with intelligence and superior strength. It’s not known what percentage of the Vegas horde is comprised of these super-zombies, and which are the more kill-able variety, and Army of the Dead‘s trailer even throws a third type into the mix, with the stunning reveal of an undead tiger, much to Garret Dillahunt’s utter dismay.
Zack Snyder has confirmed that Army of the Dead‘s zombie outbreak is, as tradition dictates, the result of a virus. In contrast to The Walking Dead and many other zombie rule books, however, animals are susceptible to the contagion, which appears to have the same effect on beast as it does man. Although the tiger steals the headlines, naturally, Army of the Dead‘s trailer also reveals a zombified horse, which one of the Alphas is seen riding. As well as the white tiger and the rotting steed, Zack Snyder has confirmed plenty of zombie dogs for Army of the Dead‘s prequel, but the director specified that birds are immune to the virus, thanks to a plot-shaped vaccine. Presumably because the outbreak is contained within Vegas, having zombified birds fly over the man-made barriers and into the outside world simply wasn’t going to work.
Fortunately for horror fans, tigers are fair game, and Army of the Dead‘s big cat looks to be controlled by the horde’s Alphas. Trailer footage highlights a showgirl zombie queen and a zombie commander by her side – the latter riding aforementioned undead horse. This demonstrates an ability to tame the rotting animals, and while the tiger could simply be roaming wild around the post-apocalyptic Vegas strip, it makes more sense for Army of the Dead‘s purposes if the creature is used as a weapon against Bautista’s invaders.
Army of the Dead‘s white zombie tiger is clearly a reference to famous Las Vegas double act Siegfried and Roy. Throughout the 1990s, Siegfried and Roy were one of the most popular acts in Vegas, performing their animal magic show at the Mirage. The duo’s trademark became white tigers and lions, and the inclusion of a zombie white tiger in Army of the Dead is surely no coincidence. The CGI creature must’ve been part of a Siegfried and Roy-esque performance in Army of the Dead‘s world. Sadly, the real life act came to an end in 2003 when Roy was horrifically injured by a white tiger mid-performance. In a macabre twist, the visual of a zombified tiger hunting the Vegas strip for prey can’t help but evoke allusions to Siegfried and Roy’s infamous final performance. While Army of the Dead was in production, both Siegfried and Roy passed away from cancer and COVID-19, respectively. The white zombie tiger in Army of the Dead is testament to the duo’s eternal association with Las Vegas culture.
Key Release Dates
Army of the Dead
Release Date:2021-05-21
