Straczynski talks World War Z....this is the movie I've been waiting for my whole lif

[Geophyrd]

Attaway Dark Horizons!

Straczynski On "World War Z" Scale (http://www.darkhorizons.com/news08/081204h.php)
By Garth FranklinThursday, December 4th 2008 12:32am

Unlike most zombie movies about a small group of survivors fending off undead hordes, scribe J. Michael Straczynski tells MTV News that his adaptation of Max Brooks' "World War Z" will emphasize that book's global events.

"The scale of what we’re doing here is phenomenal...it has that international feel to it" he says. One example? "You’re in India with hundreds of boats trying to get out of there with a tidal wave of zombies." He says the film is "[just as] political as the book was."

Straczynski says he completed the first draft of the screenplay in the Spring and has been waiting for a director for several months before Marc Forster ("Quantum of Solace") was attached. "Now that Marc is here, I’m working with his notes to make one final pass on the script. Our hope is to get it moving into production by the first of the year" he says.

The book was told in the format of a United Nations investigator taping interviews with around two dozen survivors from different regions around the globe who were affected by a zombie pandemic. The scribe has kept that approach for the film.

"We follow this guy all over the world as he goes on these interviews, and he has his own personal story as well. You’re cutting between the past and the present, how he got to this point" he says. The approach also allows him to cherry-pick his favorite moments in the book, and move the narrative throughout different points in time.

[3pidemiC]

I can say that I'm not as nervous as some of the other people out there. Yeah, some people didn't care for Quantum. People make bad movies, it happens. Most directors can always gets a second chance.

I can not wait to see what they do with Yonkers and the Asian-city apartment escape....and the "Guiding Voice" scenario.

:)

[bassman]

I can say that I'm not as nervous as some of the other people out there. Yeah, some people didn't care for Quantum. People make bad movies, it happens. Most directors can always gets a second chance.



He made many great films before QOS....

Looking forward to this. Has it been said when they start filming and a release date?

[MinionZombie]

Is it with runners or walkers? If they just blindly follow the 'trend' and go runners, I'll be rolling my eyes around my noggin for a good few weeks.

I'm now writing my own zombie epic, and I'm using walkers ... or I prefer "shamblers" really ... anyway, it's about creating situations in which such a beast works best, I feel it's easier to 'make runners scary', but is easiest best?

In my view - no - I remain a devout fan of Deadlands and Dead Set, but I still don't like this running zombie thing, I really don't.

Anyway, it'll be interesting to see, the book was rather spiffing ... and I'm glad that what I'm writing at the moment is not going in the same direction as this, I'd be wasting my time if it was...but it's not, and I'm not, so it's cool.

[AcesandEights]

This is largely a rehash of earlier info. Good to see it's still being worked on regardless.

Yeah, yeah, everybody has reservations, but better to have it done and we all have a chance at it being a decent good or great film than it not get done. If it ends up happening and sucking and we'll all still have the book. The only truly negative impact of a bad World War Z film would be the impact it has on other zombie films being greenlit.

[3pidemiC]

Is it with runners or walkers? If they just blindly follow the 'trend' and go runners, I'll be rolling my eyes around my noggin for a good few weeks.


I think we all would. The original book is all about walkers. I can't imagine that they would make such a drastic change to the original concept.

[sandrock74]

I think we all would. The original book is all about walkers. I can't imagine that they would make such a drastic change to the original concept.

Unless Hollywood doesn't consider it a "drastic change".

[SRP76]

The biggest problem I see is that we've all already read the book. Which makes the movie kind of unnecessary; once you've already got the whole story, seeing an abridged account won't really satisfy.

No matter what happens, huge portions of the book will have to be completely left out. Otherwise, you'd have about a 7-hour movie, and that's not going to happen.

[clanglee]

The biggest problem I see is that we've all already read the book. Which makes the movie kind of unnecessary; once you've already got the whole story, seeing an abridged account won't really satisfy.

No matter what happens, huge portions of the book will have to be completely left out. Otherwise, you'd have about a 7-hour movie, and that's not going to happen.

Personally, I like seeing the visualisation of a good book. The book Is almost always better, but the experiences are two completely different things.

I for one am excited about this project, I just hope it makes it!!

[Craig]

I just hope that it is made and filmed more like a serious drama film.

[blind2d]

Loved the book, so will probably love the movie regardless. Even if runners, but I think that would be stupid on Hollywood's part. Yonkers should be good.

[Neil]

My tip for Marc Forster - Keep the f****** camera still, and stop trying to be so f****** arty with it? Less is more!

[Staredge]

Runners will ruin Yonkers. It will totally change the dynamic of the whole scene. The scene is built on the idea that it won't be a big deal..the military will kick a$$ & take names & it will be over. The gradual realization of what they really face & what lies in the future is the key to the whole thing. Runners pose a threat from the start. Not that it won't change the WHOLE movie, but Yonkers in particular will be ruined.

[Geophyrd]

Quantum was terrible...there really isn't any way to get past that. But Monsters Ball, Kite Runner and Stranger than Fiction were really good. Give the guy a chance.

As to runners vs shamblers...get a life. <lol> I'm betting on shamblers...

[AcesandEights]

Quantum was terrible...there really isn't any way to get past that. But Monsters Ball, Kite Runner and Stranger than Fiction were really good. Give the guy a chance.

As to runners vs shamblers...get a life. <lol> I'm betting on shamblers...

Very, very sensible take, Sir. I'm with you 100% on this one.

Let's all take a deep breath and give things a chance to develop before we throw our hands up in disgust :D

[bassman]

Very, very sensible take, Sir. I'm with you 100% on this one.

Let's all take a deep breath and give things a chance to develop before we throw our hands up in disgust :D

But...but...where's the fun in that?

Seriously though....Forster made one of my favorite films of this decade(Stay), so I have complete faith in him.