Simon Pegg says a Shaun of the Dead sequel or reboot is "best left alone" because "sometimes, when you sequelize a film like that, you can end up spoiling the original"

Mission: Impossible - Final Reckoning star Simon Pegg has built a reputation as one of the most beloved genre actors around, with his heartfelt zombie comedy Shaun of the Dead launching him to international recognition. Still, even though he's worked with Shaun of the Dead director Edgar Wright on multiple spiritual follow-ups to the cult-classic film, Pegg says he's got no interest in a direct sequel or reboot of the film.

"I think it's best left alone. I don't think there's any point in rebooting it. Some stories just have a beginning, middle and end. And the trouble with sequels sometimes, is that you have to undo the resolution of the original film in order to start another story," Pegg says in a Reddit AMA. "And with films like Mission: Impossible, or the kind of superhero genre, or Star Trek, it works because it's a continuing adventure. But with Shaun of the Dead, Shaun has an arc that he starts somewhere and ends somewhere. And we're happy with the way that ends.

"And I think that sometimes, when you sequelize a film like that, you can end up spoiling the original, because when you watch the original again, you're thinking, 'Well they're gonna go through this other thing.' The resolution stops having any meaning. So, no, is the answer to that question!"

Pegg's got no aversion to sequels in general - Final Reckoning is his sixth Mission: Impossible film, and he's starred in three Star Trek films - so he's definitely speaking from a place of personal connection with Shaun of the Dead.

And though the film will likely never get a sequel, Pegg and Wright's collaborations, including Shaun of the Dead follow-ups Hot Fuzz and The World's End, are part of a so-called 'Cornetto Trilogy' of thematically similar films that explore human relationships through genre-bending plots.

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is out on May 21 in UK cinemas and May 23 in US theatres. For more, see our guide to all the most exciting upcoming movies of 2025.