Milo Manheim and Meg Donnelly—returning as Addison and Zed while also executive producing—opened up about welcoming a fresh wave of talent to the beloved Disney franchise.

The stars of Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires can’t contain their excitement for the latest installment in Disney’s hit musical series. Milo Manheim, Meg Donnelly, and Chandler Kinney, alongside newcomers Freya Skye, Malachi Barton, Julian Lerner, Sway Bhatia, and Mekonnen Knife, shared their behind-the-scenes experiences in an exclusive TooFab featurette from Tuesday’s premiere.

“We’re at the Zombies 4 premiere—which is absolutely insane,” said Donnelly, 24. Manheim, also 24, added, “It’s almost impossible to put into words.”

Reprising their iconic roles while stepping into executive producer positions, Donnelly and Manheim discussed the emotional weight of passing the torch to the next generation of Zombies stars.

“It means everything to hand things off to these five incredible newcomers,” Donnelly shared. Manheim admitted, “I was a little nervous at first because this franchise means so much to me. But the second I met them, I knew it was the right move.”

Premiering July 10 on Disney Channel, Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires throws Zed, Addison, and their friends Eliza (Kylee Russell) and Willa (Kinney) into chaos when their summer road trip takes a wild detour. Stranded between the warring worlds of Sunnyside (home of the Daywalkers) and Shadyside (land of the Vampires), the group must unite supernatural rivals—including Daywalker Nova (Skye) and Vampire Victor (Barton)—to face an even greater threat.

Newcomer Freya Skye called working with Manheim and Donnelly “the most incredible experience,” while Mekonnen Knife (who plays vampire Vargas) praised the original cast for welcoming them “with open arms.”

Also in attendance were Descendants: The Rise of Red stars Kylie Cantrall, Dara Renee, and Joshua Colley—who know exactly what it’s like to join a major Disney franchise.

“I totally get how thrilling and nerve-wracking this is—stepping into something so iconic,” Cantrall said.

Renee added, “I’m just grateful to be here supporting them as they shine,” with Colley predicting, “The world is gonna be obsessed with Zombies 4.”

Meanwhile, Kinney and Manheim reflected on how far the franchise has come.

“This series has brought so much love and light into my life,” Kinney shared, calling Zombies 4 a nostalgic throwback to classic Disney magic. Manheim summed it up: “All I feel right now is immense gratitude.”