'Daybreak' Netflix Trailer Makes a Zombie Apocalypse Fun for High Schoolers

Sometimes high school can feel like the end of the world, but an upcoming Netflix series has a lot of fun taking this more literally: In Daybreak, nuclear fallout transforms the city of Glendale, California into a radiated wasteland full of zombies, and all of the local high schoolers separate into their various cliques to survive. Except they all seem to be having an absolute blast.

The vibes feels remarkably similar to 2018’s excellent Anna and the Apocalypse, a genre-bending black comedy musical film focused on small-town high schoolers in the midst of a zombie outbreak. Yes, there’s plenty of mature horror, but the tonal clash between teenagers being goofy and the gore-filled violence they experience makes for a lot of fun. Daybreak aims for a similar tone — just without the musical numbers.

“Glendale, California is populated by marauding gangs of jocks, gamers, the 4-H Club, and other fearsome tribes who are kicking ass as they fight to survive in the wake of a nuclear blast,” Netflix’s official Daybreak description reads. “Following an eclectic group of survivors as they navigate this strange and treacherous world, Daybreak is part samurai saga, part endearing coming-of-age story, and part Battle Royale.”

The new teaser trailer focuses on Matthew Broderick’s Glendale High School’s Principal Michael Burr making the morning announcements over the school’s intercom system. He blathers on with some typical words of bland encouragement. “With a winning attitude, you can conquer the world,” he knowingly says. This idea takes on new meaning as we get scenes of various cliques in the present day alongside their post-apocalyptic, warrior selves.

A groups of cheerleaders becomes fierce bow-wielding warriors. The jocks become Viking-inspired barbarians. 17-year-old Josh Wheeler (Colin Ford) is “our hero and every-teen” leading a small group of nerdy cool kids that includes “contemplative samurai” Wesley Fists (Austin Crute) and “highly unstable kid genius” Angelica Green (Alyvia Alyn Lind).

“Strap in douche-waffles,” Angelica says in the trailer. “Shit’s about to get weird,” Wesley finishes.

Based on the trailer, Josh will consistently break the Fourth Wall and address the viewer directly. This being a teaser trailer, the overall plot isn’t conveyed in a coherent manner. We get a series of action-packed images that display all sorts of post-apocalyptic conflict after a nuclear explosion changes the world forever. There will even be some kind of romance between Josh and “the most widely admired girl at Glendale High,” Sam Dean (Sophie Simnett).

Above all else, Daybreak aims to make the apocalypse fun, and so far it’s doing a great job of it.

All 10 episodes of Daybreak will be released on Netflix October 24, 2019.