Zombieland 2 director Ruben Fleischer has confirmed that production will begin in January. The much-awaited sequel has been a film long in the making, with its production in the works since 2016. Sony announced a release date for Zombieland 2 back in July, but very few details concerning the film’s production have been released since. Now, Fleischer has finally revealed that Zombieland 2 will indeed begin production soon and release just in time to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the beloved original.

Zombieland starred Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin and followed their characters as they worked together to survive the zombie apocalypse. The horror/comedy proved to be a smash hit and was one of the most popular films of 2009, making approximately $100 million around the globe at the box office. Fans were demanding a sequel almost immediately after Zombieland was released. Unfortunately, for them, there would be a bit of a wait. News broke in 2016 that Zombieland 2 was still in development, and some even anticipated a release that year. However, it actually took another year for the script to reach completion due to writers Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese’s busy schedules with other films, such as Deadpool. It was only in July of this year that plans for a sequel with the original cast were officially confirmed.

Related: Zombieland: Bill Murray's Role Was Written For Patrick Swayze

In an interview with Fandango, Zombieland director Ruben Fleischer spoke with excitement over the fact that Zombieland 2 is finally moving forward and has a concrete shooting schedule. The filmmaker said:

“I'm thrilled. We're already actually starting Zombieland. I've been scouting and storyboarding and getting it going, and to get to work with that cast again is just an absolute dream come true. It's been really exciting starting to think about that movie, and to get to work with Emma, Jesse, Woody and Abigail once again is truly a dream come true. Yeah, we're just at the very early stages, but we have an amazing script, and we're going to start shooting in Georgia in January.”

Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin in Zombieland holding weapons

Fans will no doubt be relieved to hear Fleischer finally confirm a production timetable. Those who enjoyed the original have been watching headlines closely over the past decade or so in anticipation for a green-light confirmation of Zombieland 2 moving ahead. Over the course of these many years, fans have encountered a range of headlines ranging from exciting (such as leaked title and plot details back in May) to downright confusing (like an alleged screening of the sequel that was announced in June and then swiftly canceled). But, now, it appears that Zombieland lovers can finally rest easy with the knowledge that Zombieland 2 is indeed happening and starts production soon.

Perhaps it’s for the best that audiences have had to wait so long for Zombieland 2 to hit theaters. Instead of being rushed into a sequel by studios, which happens far too often, Wernick and Reese have had time to craft the story and script the way they wanted. The lengthy window of time between the first and second film has also allowed all of the actors from the original Zombieland to sort out their work schedules and make sure they could return for Zombieland 2. And, of course, for all of the dedicated fans, there is no better way to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the horror/comedy hit than enjoying the highly anticipated sequel on the big screen.

More: 20 Crazy Details Behind The Making Of Zombieland

Source: Fandango