World War Z in trouble (Redux Edition)

[AcesandEights]

Source (http://www.fearnet.com/news/news-article/world-war-z-trouble-again):


And the troubled production known as the World War Z film continues... After bringing in numerous writers to try and salvage its script -- among them Damon Lindelof, Drew Goddard, and most recently Christopher McQuarrie -- World War Z's star and director are apparently no longer speaking to one another during reshoots.

According to Vulture, "The horde of zombies in Paramount Pictures’ World War Z aren’t the only ones ravenous for brains: So is the troubled blockbuster’s star and producer, Brad Pitt, who Vulture hears exclusively from multiple production sources has become so frustrated with the film’s director, Marc Forster, that he stopped speaking to him altogether as the production heads into at least three weeks of reshoots."

"Things got so bad that when Forster had notes on a scene for Pitt, they had to be relayed through an intermediary — and vice versa. We’re told that this awkward function was and is being largely fulfilled by a rotating trio of studio production president Marc Evans, Paramount film group head Adam Goodman, and Dede Gardner, a former executive at the studio who now runs Pitt’s company. And all this as the production crests $170 million as it heads into its costly reshoots, with an ending that is still in flux. (A representative for Creative Artists Agency, which represents both Pitt and Forster, declined to comment. Calls to Paramount were not returned by deadline.)"

Check out the complete story on Vulture (http://www.vulture.com/2012/07/brad-pitt-not-talking-to-world-war-z-director.html).

[Sammich]

The idiots should have just stayed with J. Michael Straczynski's WWZ screenplay which had received glowing praise from those who read it. But no, instead of catering to the already existing fanbase of the book, the story had to be dumbed down by MBA's and other assorted morons that never even read WWZ and turned into a generic action flick. Asylum will probably come out with a better knockoff at 1/100th of the budget.

I still believe that the credits are going to list Alan Smithee as director.

[Neil]

Asylum will probably come out with a better knockoff at 1/100th of the budget.

Dude! Those f*ckwits couldn't come out with any thing worth watching for 100/1th of the budget! Generally an insult to anything they put their hand to (IMHO)!

[Mike70]

this movie has become like the flying dutchman of film. i'm convinced that it is more myth than reality. seems like this ridiculous saga has been going on for 10 years.

[Sammich]

Dude! Those f*ckwits couldn't come out with any thing worth watching for 100/1th of the budget! Generally an insult to anything they put their hand to (IMHO)!

Lincoln vs. Zombies was a pretty good movie and probably will make more money than that vampires movie.

[rgc2005]

The idiots should have just stayed with J. Michael Straczynski's WWZ screenplay which had received glowing praise from those who read it. But no, instead of catering to the already existing fanbase of the book, the story had to be dumbed down by MBA's and other assorted morons that never even read WWZ and turned into a generic action flick. Asylum will probably come out with a better knockoff at 1/100th of the budget.

I still believe that the credits are going to list Alan Smithee as director.

That screen play was outstanding. The really sad part is the SyFy Saturday Night Knock-Off movie will be much better and cheaper.

[Neil]

That screen play was outstanding.
You've read it have you? How true did it stay to the book? Did it use flashbacks etc during his interview scenes?

[MinionZombie]

The more I hear, the more I can envision a great big nuclear bomb obliterating this turkey at the box office.

I hope this proves to be a harsh lesson to the Hollywood system - go with the script that garners praise, learn about the property you seek to adapt (and it's current audience), and ruddy well stick with it, DON'T cock it up so royally by first-of-all pissing all over the source material, and then making a total ruddy hash of it.

It seems a bit childish of Forster/Pitt to be doing the "I'm not talking to you" schtick, but I can also understand it. When working on a project with people you've lost all respect for, and who only manage to raise vitriol in you, you just want to cut them out of the remainder of your experience. It's not always possible, but I'd wager Pitt has far more sway here as the big name star and the big name producer ... which makes you think the man needed a serious schooling in not only WWZ, but zombies in general, before he waded into this disaster.

[Rancid Carcass]

You've read it have you? How true did it stay to the book? Did it use flashbacks etc during his interview scenes?

From Screen Rant:


Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski’s original World War Z script draft is said to be pretty faithful to Max Brooks’ source material – with an approach that includes the novel’s interview-based narrative structure. Straczynski’s draft was reworked by Matthew Michael Carnahan (The Kingdom), who was apparently tasked with turning the WWZ movie into a PG-13 global thriller/horror flick that has franchise potential.

You can clearly see where it all went wrong... :rolleyes:

[shootemindehead]

I'm so happy that this abortion is shaping up the way it is. While I'm probably alone on this forum in think ing that 'WWZ' was just OK, it could have made a decent film if handled correctly. But, what has happened here is the bastard child of many greedy and ignorant fathers. Pitt, et al, simply saw the following equation "popular book"-"popular name"-"Should make a popular movie" and probably discarded the original source in favor of a name rape.

It'll give me further pleasure to see this abomination blow up in their faces as a box office fiasco, seriously damaging their bloated careers in the process.

I see Max Brooks has been very quiet on the whole thing. Probably rolling around in his money.

[AcesandEights]

I'm probably alone on this forum in think ing that 'WWZ' was just OK

I thought the structuring and overall concepts were great, but the writing was only passable/decent, if that makes you feel better.

[Mike70]

You can clearly see where it all went wrong... :rolleyes:

when Straczynski was fired/quit/whatever, i knew there was trouble down the road. they fired one of the most creative sci-fi screenwriters ever - the dude responsible for Babylon 5 (which he wrote most of). it had nowhere to go but downhill...

[rgc2005]

The screenplay was amazingly close to the book. It was a personal drama centering on Pitt's character eventually uncovers the various governmental cover ups of the outbreak in China, why it spread so fast and South Africa's survival/recovery plan. His family played a big part and pays a huge price for survival. Too bad MJS was let go in favor of runners and CG.
Maybe they will make this HD 4D smell-o-vision?

[LouCipherr]

I hope this proves to be a harsh lesson to the Hollywood system - go with the script that garners praise, learn about the property you seek to adapt (and it's current audience), and ruddy well stick with it, DON'T cock it up so royally by first-of-all pissing all over the source material, and then making a total ruddy hash of it.

This same philosophy should be followed when doing a remake or a sequel as well.

:thumbsup: MZ.

[shootemindehead]

I thought the structuring and overall concepts were great, but the writing was only passable/decent, if that makes you feel better.

Yep, it was a great concept. But I felt Brooks' writing lost me in places. Not plotwise, just interest.

Perhaps I need to read it again.

[AcesandEights]

Perhaps I need to read it again.

Well, one of the nice things about the book is that the structure lends itself to just picking out a random chapter and having a go.

I think Ned once pointed out that the characterization, characters mindsets and dialogue was very similar from character to character, aside from a few obvious regional/national bits thrown in the text for flavor, and from what I recall I think that's a pretty salient critical point.

[Sammich]

Well, one of the nice things about the book is that the structure lends itself to just picking out a random chapter and having a go.

I think Ned once pointed out that the characterization, characters mindsets and dialogue was very similar from character to character, aside from a few obvious regional/national bits thrown in the text for flavor, and from what I recall I think that's a pretty salient critical point.

When I read the book that is the same thing I noticed. The characters also displayed an arrogance which I didn't particularly like. The thing with well written books is that you begin to picture in your mind what actors would portray the characters. For me that didn't happen with WWZ.

[Craig]

This is really such a shame, it could've made a great movie. The best I can hope is that the people responsible for these seemingly poor decisions realise they messed up.

[bassman]

Writer Drew Goddard, who was brought in to touch up the script's third act, says that the production isn't as bad off as the media has made it out to be. He claims it's just part of the normal process, which happens often in Hollywood:


I think a lot of that got blown out of proportion. It really was like, they asked me to come look at the movie and give ideas on how to help, and that’s what happened. That happens all the time, I don’t know why this got blown up with World War Z and it suddenly became a big thing. It’s the sort of thing that happens with screenwriters all the time where you give your ideas on what could help, you write some scenes for people… I feel bad for the sort of magnifying glass that that movie’s under because this is just a normal part of the process, this is just what happens… My involvement was just watch the movie, give some ideas, write some scenes that might help, ADR, just sort of fill in stuff, which is what I did.

Of course he could just be playing nice because he's involved, but he does have a point that these kinds of things happen all the time. This certainly isn't the first film to have this done.

[Sammich]

Is 7 weeks of reshoots, which is the equivalent of filming an entire movie, part of the normal process too?

Was there a World War Zzzzz panel or anything at Comicon?

[DjfunkmasterG]

I called this when Marc Forster was announced as director. Yes if you look back I said right here on HPotD this production is going to be a disaster, and I used Quantum of Solace as proof.

Get me in the director's chair... I got an awesome set of tools, I can fix it.

[AcesandEights]

I got an awesome set of tools, I can fix it.

Blowtorch and a garbage can? ;)

[bassman]

I called this when Marc Forster was announced as director. Yes if you look back I said right here on HPotD this production is going to be a disaster, and I used Quantum of Solace as proof.


Because QOS is the only movie Forster has made? :rockbrow:

It's like once QOS(which had issues due to a writer's strike, btw) was released everyone forgot that he made about five amazing films before it....

[Sammich]

They should have just hired Uwe Boll from the very begining.

[paranoid101]

They should have just hired Uwe Boll from the very begining.

this ^^

[Thorn]

They should have just hired Uwe Boll from the very begining.


Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

[AcesandEights]

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

So all we need to bring Thorn out of hiding is the threat of Uwe Boll. :p

[Sammich]

I have a lot more interest in seeing Uwe Boll's new movie than World War Zzzz.

A film about the 2009 Bailout – Uwe Boll style! (http://coolawesomemovies.com/2012/06/a-film-about-the-2009-bailout-uwe-boll-style/)

The film stars Dominic Purcell as an average New Yorker, who loses everything – including his family – because of the financial crisis and the subsequent bailout. He decides to get vengeance – by taking an arsenal and giving the suited pricks what for!

[AcesandEights]

I have a lot more interest in seeing Uwe Boll's new movie than World War Zzzz.

A film about the 2009 Bailout – Uwe Boll style! (http://coolawesomemovies.com/2012/06/a-film-about-the-2009-bailout-uwe-boll-style/)

The film stars Dominic Purcell as an average New Yorker, who loses everything – including his family – because of the financial crisis and the subsequent bailout. He decides to get vengeance – by taking an arsenal and giving the suited pricks what for!

I can't believe I'm about to say this, but I will give that Uwe Boll film a chance.

Thanks for the heads up, Sammich!

[EvilNed]

I'm working on a TV-series right now, and one of the Grips who came aboard is fresh from the WWZ reshoots in Budapest. I'm going to try to get some details from him in the following week...

[MinionZombie]

I'm working on a TV-series right now, and one of the Grips who came aboard is fresh from the WWZ reshoots in Budapest. I'm going to try to get some details from him in the following week...

Looking forward to some tasty morsels of inside knowledge. :elol:

[EvilNed]

All I've managed to gather so far is that he thinks it will be a shitty film.

[AcesandEights]

All I've managed to gather so far is that he thinks it will be a shitty film.

Uhoh...well, at this point I'm prepared for anything. In fact, if I have low enough expectations I may enjoy seeing it for the first time :|

[EvilNed]

Well... Ladies and gentlemen... They're shamblers!

[MinionZombie]

Well... Ladies and gentlemen... They're shamblers!

They are? Where'd you see/read/discover this? Also, whatever happened to that video we saw of a rehearsal where someone was infected in seconds and then started sprinting around all over the place? :confused:

[rgc2005]

That sounds great. Now I can only hope there will not be any RE-Style "Boss" creatures.

[EvilNed]

They are? Where'd you see/read/discover this? Also, whatever happened to that video we saw of a rehearsal where someone was infected in seconds and then started sprinting around all over the place? :confused:

Well, I straight up just asked the guy who'd worked on it. He also showed me some pictures of it, and some of the sets seem really awesome as well.

I don't know... I'm swinging around a little bit about this film...

[Knighty]

I know someone who was involved with the zombie CGI last year, I wouldn't hold your breath or get too excited. Some nice on set chaos effects though.

[Neil]

Well, I straight up just asked the guy who'd worked on it. He also showed me some pictures of it, and some of the sets seem really awesome as well.

I don't know... I'm swinging around a little bit about this film...But the video we saw showed what seemed to be runners?

-- -------- Post added at 08:09 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:08 PM ----------


I know someone who was involved with the zombie CGI last year, I wouldn't hold your breath or get too excited.
Why??

[EvilNed]

Hey, can't speak for the video. But that's what the guy says.

[Sammich]

But the video we saw showed what seemed to be runners?

That is because you saw raw footage BEFORE the matrix slow motion 3d panning effects were put in. If bullets can be made to move as fast as spitballs, then <10 second 100 meter dash parkour zombies can be made to look like shamblers.

[Knighty]

Gore/zombie effects wise I mean.

[Neil]

That is because you saw raw footage BEFORE the matrix slow motion 3d panning effects were put in. If bullets can be made to move as fast as spitballs, then <10 second 100 meter dash parkour zombies can be made to look like shamblers.

Huh??

[Rancid Carcass]

That is because you saw raw footage BEFORE the matrix slow motion 3d panning effects were put in. If bullets can be made to move as fast as spitballs, then <10 second 100 meter dash parkour zombies can be made to look like shamblers.

Ha, nothing quite so high-tec - everytime a zombie appears they'll edit in some fuzzy old black and white footage from NIGHT and hope nobody notices... :shifty:

[Sammich]

Ha, nothing quite so high-tec - everytime a zombie appears they'll edit in some fuzzy old black and white footage from NIGHT and hope nobody notices... :shifty:

Oh goody! I hope they use stuff from NOTLD 30th Anniversary Edition! Pretty please with cherries on top!