Before James Gunn was running DC Studios, he teamed up with beloved video game director Goichi Suda, aka Suda51, to createLollipop Chainsaw. The 20121 hack-and-slash game follows 18-year-old cheerleader Juliet Starling, who moonlights as a zombie hunter. After garnering average reviews,Lollipop Chainsawgained a cult following and was even remastered in 2024.
Now, in July 2025,Lollipop Chainsawhas had not only a legacy sequel announced, but ananime adaptation of the original gameas well. Very little has been divulged about the project, with developer Dragami Games simply providing a press release of the announcement alongside some posts online. There has so far been no trailer for the newLollipop Chainsaw, but I’m already quite concerned about its direction.
James Gunn & Suda51 Aren’t Involved In The New Lollipop Chainsaw
Two Key Figures Are Missing
Most immediately, it’s hard to ignore the fact thatJames Gunn and Suda51 are not involved in theLollipop Chainsawsequel. Neither is mentioned in the press release, nor any other official material for the project. Suda51 was co-director of the originalLollipop Chainsaw, and James Gunn was the co-writer. They had no involvement withLollipop Chainsaw RePOP’s releaseeither.
Most video games are clearly the products of large teams of developers, butLollipop Chainsawowes a lot of its identity to Gunn and Suda51. Gunn has seen immense success in filmmaking sinceLollipop Chainsaw’s release – hiswell-receivedSupermanmovie being the latest example – and Suda51 has similarly become a well-known name in the gaming industry. I’m skeptical that the newLollipop Chainsawcan live up to its predecessor’s legacy without those two key people.
New Lollipop Chainsaw Has A Concerning Tone
A Disaster Of A Press Release
Even more concerning is specific points raised by the newLollipop Chainsaw’s press release. Near its end, it reads, “The development process will prioritize staying true to the distinctive tone and spirit of the original work,without imposing excessive creative restrictions in the name of DEI(Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion).” DEI broadly refers to initiatives looking to promote the fair treatment of minority groups, whether that be regarding ethnicity, sexuality, or physical ability.
However,DEI has more recently become a dog whistleroutinely invoked by those championing regressive causes like white nationalism in the United States. Dragami Games is headquartered in Japan, but the irreverent humor and general sexualization ofLollipop Chainsaw’s protagonist is ripe for celebration by those who rail against DEI – the same crowd that believes DEI consultancy groups have a nefarious “woke agenda.”
The press release also has a notable emphasis onLollipop Chainsaw’s “dark humor,” which has similarly been twisted to be little more than a synonym for “offensive humor.” All things considered, I don’t have high hopes that the newLollipop Chainsawwill do anything but pander to regressive sentiments, overly sexualize its young protagonist, and become a rallying point for those on the more skin-crawling side of the hobby.
