I thought this deserved its own thread. Brad Pitt’s production company bought the rights and J. Michael Straczynski (Babylon 5, The Twilight Zone) wrote (or is writing)the screenplay.
What stories would you like to see in the movie? Any casting ideas?
I’d love to see it open with the Japanese kid on his computer. He plays around, chats, etc. for two days, then gets suspicious when his mom hasn’t left his usual meal outside his door. Finally he opens the curtains and – chaos.
It could end up in Canada with the regular zombie killing that comes with the spring thaw.
Of course, the blind guy in the forest, cannibalism and the female soldier’s escape would have to be included. Maybe Jessica Biel? The North Korean undergrounf city also really stuck with me, though I’m not sure how it’d translate on screen.
It would be interesting to see it all done in multiple languages with no translation, like in Hostel. I hope they don’t get bogged down with the formalities of interviewees getting a faraway look in their eyes before CUT TO: FLASHBACK.
The only way this book could be done justice on screen would be to have it as a talking-heads style documentary, complete with archive footage (especially from Yonkers), reconstructions, interviews with survivors… its the only way I can see that would bring something fresh and new to a tired, jaded genre.
bubastis, from your mouth to Pitt’s ears. I’d go see that movie.
The Japanese kid, the blind Japanese man, and the downed pilot are the interviewees whose stories most affected me. I wouldn’t mind seeing the Phalanx guy’s story either. What a jerk.
I’d go with unknown actors. They’d make it more relatable. (Is that a word?)
I liked the Chinese submarine and the zombie horde being stopped by that bridge being blown up in India. I’d also like to see that first battle to take back the US, where they were blasting Iron Maiden’s “The Trooper” to lure Zack, and clearing the sewers of Paris. Actually, what I guess I really want is an HBO miniseries or series, not just a 2 hour movie, because there are so many good parts.
I agree, Word War Z would make a much better premium cable miniseries than a theatrical film. Just imgagine what a big Hollywood studio may decide to do to make it marketable :eek: . It’s too horible to think about.
I hope they can get some of the people from the audio book to play their parts in the movie. Mark Hamill made an awesome Todd Waino(sp?), actually all the voice actors did an incredible job.
Yeah, I’m going to second the fears I have about this movie, and also the need to see the french clearing the sewers. That segment could be really jarring. I would also like to see the sewer rat’s younger brother opening up that castle (Ils ne passeront pas!)
And hopefully the filmakers won’t wuss out and make the defeat at Yonkers just some sort of fluke, instead of the fault of the incredibly incompetent military leaders.
Which brings up a question, that book is really dark, could a film actually do it justice?
I’m nearly finished with the book, and I have to agree. I fear Hollywood will end up making a normal zombie movie, following one or two main characters. The biggest problem would likely be trying to cull the best stories into a coherent storyline.
My favorite interviews (up to what I’ve read):
The Australian astronaut
The Chinese submarine
The cannibalism during the first year up north
The woman whose mind had snapped (not the pilot, though that one’s good; the simple-minded woman)
The movie producer
The famous people who were besieged after they broadcast their good fortunes
I really can’t see how they could possibly do the book in a two hour movie. It almost would have to be a miniseries. There is simply too much there to try to do in a single movie; they would have to cut too much of it out.