How is Army of Thieves connected to Army of the Dead?

Netflix has another chapter in the Army of the Dead franchise. Fans have been waiting for the next story in this series, and the wait is almost over. On Friday, Oct. 29, Army of Thieves will be released on the streamer.

Army of the Dead is a zombie heist film that saw the city of Las Vegas overrun by the undead. And not just any undead — advanced, organized undead. This film saw a group of mercenaries infiltrate the city to retrieve a large sum of money from a casino safe.

One of the characters we were introduced to in the first film was a German safe-cracker Ludwig Dieter (Matthias Schweighöfer). He was hired for his skills at cracking into safes that no one else would even attempt. Army of Thieves will once again see Dieter in action.

Is Army of Thieves a prequel or sequel?

So, is Army of Thieves a prequel or sequel to Army of the Dead? It is an origin story of the safecracker Ludwig Dieter, which classifies it as a prequel. This film will take place six years before Army of the Dead, where we find Dieter working at a bank as a teller. A mysterious woman recruits a team to organize heists in banks across Europe, and she recruits Dieter for this crew.

The outbreak of the undead has only hit America, but the fear of a worldwide epidemic has taken its toll on the banking industry worldwide. This situation makes it an opportune time for criminals to take advantage of the weakened banking system and try their hands at cracking the most secure safes in Europe.

Schweighöfer also directed the film with the screenplay by Shay Hatten (Army of the Dead) based on a story he wrote with Zach Snyder.

The franchise will also see an anime-style series called Army of the Dead: Lost Vegas, and the subsequent film Planet of the Dead is in the early stages of development.

Are you excited for Army of Thieves? Be sure to check it out on Oct. 29, when it is released on Netflix.