When Zombies attacked, kids watched. Disney Channel said today that Friday’s premiere of its original telefilm drew 1.14 million viewers and a 4.8 rating in the kids 6-11 demo — beating that night’s Winter Olympics coverage — and went on to lure 10.3 million combined viewers over eight airings through Monday.
The musical’s premiere was the No. 1 cable TV telecast among kids 6-11 and girls 6-11 (752,000 viewers, 6.4 rating) since Disney Channel’s Descendants 2 in July. It also was the most-watched telecast across kid cable TV networks (2.57 million total viewers) since the debut of Raven’s Home in July.
Zombies stars Milo Manheim and Meg Donnelly as two star-crossed freshmen – he’s a zombie, she’s a cheerleader — who are outsiders in their unique ways. They befriend each other and discover the beauty in their differences and in their similarities. The choices they make drive the movie’s messages about being openhearted, generous and kind and true to yourself, Disney Channel said.
Directed by Paul Hoen — who has helmed more than a dozen Disney Channel original pics — Zombies also stars Trevor Tordjman, Kylee Russell, James Godfrey and Kingston Foster. It was written and co-produced by David Light and Joseph Raso and directed by Paul Hoen. Effie Brown is the executive producer, and Christopher Scott and Jeff Hornaday did the choreography.