Yikes! Another New Zombie Movie!

Okay, so maybe 15 posts in a month is a bit extreme. Especially during a 28 day month. Is anyone even reading all of this? Regardless, in my attempt to have my fingers on the pulse of the zombie world (if that's even possible) I have caught wind of another zombie flick awaiting us.

Pontypool is the title of a Canadian-made zombie movie and quite possibly the next zombie movie we'll see. I have read that it will be released here in the states at the end of May. Those who live in Canada can be treated to this visual feast early March. And if there's any Canadian readers, an email or comment would be appreciated after you see it.

From what I've read, Pontypool sounds very similiar to The Signal. Kind of a zombie movie without really being a zombie movie. I'm fine with that. A good "kinda zombie movie" is better than a bad "actual zombie movie" in my book. Below is a review I found on IMDB:

"I saw this film at the Toronto film festival, and I must say it was superb. It's a zombie flick that isn't a zombie flick--it really breaks out of the genre. At times honestly hilarious and truly suspenseful at others, it was one of my top three films I saw at the festival. The IMDb synopsis doesn't do it justice. The main character loves to throw out references to linguistics and literary critics, and the "transmission" of the virus fits perfectly. Stephen McHattie did a fantastic job, as did Lisa Houle and Georgina Reilly. Even though the "we're stuck in a building surrounded by zombies" is a well-used setup, Pontypool is so different from most zombie movies that it doesn't feel hackneyed. Altogether, it's a totally fresh, exciting movie. If you can get your hands on it, watch it!"

Click here for the official movie site. There you can view the trailer and some pics as well as read the actual synopsis.

New Zombie Movie This Fall

Zombies of the Night is the title of a new movie coming out of the UK this fall. So have we seen this movie before? Maybe. But the simple "what if" plot sounds like something I could enjoy. So what's it about? Let's let some of the creative team behind the film describe it:

"It's not a scientific, discover a cure movie - it's a how the hell am I going to survive this adventure. The idea for the film was very simple. If I literally woke up to discover my parents had become zombies - what the hell would I do? Would I believe it? Would I survive it? Who would believe me?"

You can keep an eye on the film's official website for upcoming information by clicking here. Not much useful there right now other than two trailers with a third on YouTube. As always, I'll post more info as I come across it.

Not A Zombie or Toy Update!

We interrupt our normally scheduled update of news about zombies to bring you a picture I found of War Machine from the new Iron Man movie. I'm not certain if it's legit, but it's cool looking regardless.



You may now continue scrolling down to read about zombies. Oh, and as a reminder, head over to the Bent Wookie for more pop culture news.

Toys! Toys! Toys!

Just like you, I enjoy zombies. But let's take that a step further... I like zombies, toys, art, and creativity. On a bit of a personal note, I also have a thing for pumpkins and things that glow in the dark. Must be the kid in me. If it lights up, makes noise, or glows in the dark; I'm entertained. So let's take all of this and bundle it together.

October Toys have been around since 2004 but I just managed to stumble into their world. And what an addicting world it is. I must admit that I am late to the party regarding vinyl collectibles which is probably for the best. My quest for all things zombie led me to October Toys' site to purchase some of their Z.O.M.B.I.E.S. They are available in four colors: blue, green, white, and glow-in-the-dark. This is the first series and each set is available for a very affordable $5. Yup, five chucks. As badly as you want to stop reading and click this link to buy some, humor me and finish reading first.

The pictures don't do these little guys justice. For such a small piece, the details are incredible. You can see flesh hanging from faces, exposed bones, soap-on-a-rope, and the best... the monkey is holding a cat.





While you are over there loading up on ZOMBIES, check out their GWINS. And that "I only like zombies" excuse won't work, either. You guessed it, there's a zombie GWIN appropriately called Night of the Living Gwin. And if you're wondering why the other two GWINS are in the photo below you obviously didn't read the first paragraph. Finish reading, then go join the GWIN army!







It may just be me, but I see these things and want them all. I have a handful of Dunnys, Fatcaps, and Smorkin' Labbits. I enjoy Kozik and Ledbetter. But these guys have some amazing designs. I must mention the Dragwin by Charlotte Link. Not my personal favorite, but probably one of the most creative GWINs available. The GWINs are a little pricier than some comparable vinyl collectibles available but, in my opinion, are worth the extra few bucks and a steal at $10. They are in window packaging which is a plus. I do appreciate the rush of blind box purchasing, but when you're talking $6 to $10 per piece, it's a gamble I don't want to take.

There's more I would like to mention like the ZOMBIE game, the friendly folks on the October Toys forums, the free stuff you can get if you save your Z Points (who doesn't want an "I Play With Zombies" sticker?), but go over to October Toys and find all this stuff out yourself.

Big thanks to George Gaspar and the rest of the team at October Toys for the great service!

Zombie Themed Wine?

Wow! I've come across some pretty cool zombie related items but this one takes the cake. The only information I can find on this is through the website of the wine bottle's label designer, Mash. Which, by the way, totally makes the wine worth the purchase. It's a plain bottle with the top dipped in red wax and allowed to rund down the bottle (very cool). Then, there's a piece of twine tied to the bottle that has a type of crime scene folder containing pictures and text of some sort. A very neat, clean, and ominous look.

And just when you thought this bottle of wine could not get any cooler... it's appropriately called Night of the Living Red. Made by Redheads Studio of McLaren Vale, I can find no further information about this wine. Check for yourself, but Redheads Studio's website is down.

So, my friends, we'll have to add this one to the list of things to look for in future updates. Until then, drool over the pictures:








I'll leave you with the information provided by the Mash website:

Mash has been involved with a variety
of packaging and branding projects with
Redheads Studio of McLaren Vale. At the
top end of their fine wines is the ‘Return
of the Living Red’. Packaging needed the
usual unique Redheads touch. As this wine
is non-vintage it has no age (the 2 grape
varieties coming from different vintages).
This was a complex fine wine with no listed
age; a mysterious and intriguing wine. To
compliment this the nature of the product,
Mash developed a concept to create a small
pack containing missing and/or suppressed
crime files implying the existence of the
living dead in and around the vineyards.
With use of disturbing illustrations and
fascinating old photos on a toothy uncoated
paper the concept was bought to life. A slip
knot with old twine and a deep red wax
dipped bottle went with the old crime file
folder to create one of our favorite wine
packaging pieces.

New Romero Film!

Alright, let's be honest. The last Romero film sucked. I really wanted to enjoy that movie and I can't tell you how disappointed I was that it was so bad. And even though I'm not counting on this next one to be much better, it's still newsworthy. I mean, the godfather of the zombie film is making another movie. It can't be any worse than Diary... could it?

New Zombie Game ...sorta

Just stumbled across this video from Call of Duty: World At War. It looks to be a redux adding zombies in place of the enemies. I'll do some homework and see what else I can uncover. Of course, an email, link, or comment would be nice if someone else already knows the entire story.

Dead Rising 2 & Left 4 Dead

Capcom confirms that Dead Rising 2 is official and that it will bring a "new level of zombie killing fun with tens of thousands of zombies". Set to take place after the events in Colorado, DR2 places our character in the gambling center of Fortune City.






The video game news just gets better. Valve has announced that Left 4 Dead downloads will be free for both PC and Xbox 360 users.

The recently announced Left 4 Dead Downloadable Content (L4D DLC) will be delivered to Xbox 360 and PC gamers free of charge.

Due for release this spring, the DLC for 2008's best-selling new game property on the PC and Xbox 360, is dubbed the L4D Survival Pack and introduces a new multiplayer game mode entitled, Survival, plus two complete campaigns for Versus Mode (Death Toll, Dead Air). A Critic's Choice Edition of the game will be heading to retail stores this spring, and will include access to all the content introduced in the L4D: Survival Pack.

I didn't want to go outside this spring anyway.

New Zombie Movie In The Works

ZMD: Zombies of Mass Destruction. I know I'm seriously out of the loop when it comes to comics, but how did I not hear of this one? In my defense, what's the first thing that pops into your head when you hear "comic books and zombies"? Right. The Walking Dead. That comic rivals most zombie books and movies available today.

I'm always reserved when it comes to new zombie movies. Romero's latest "Diary of the Dead" truly disappointed me. I thought it was downright bad and have no desire to watch it again. There are a few others I've rented that were a let-down as well. This one sounds hopeful, though. I've heard good things about the new Underworld movie and Y: The Last Man is one of those books being pushed as a must read (Eric, if you're reading this I will read Y soon).

Speaking of Eric, we can all thank him for sending me this bit of information regarding the ZMD movie:

Zombies Of Mass Destruction Gets Underworld Writers
By Emily McDonald

Dirk Blackman and Howard McCain must be at least somewhat good at writing fictional monsters. HR reports that the duo behind Underworld: Rise of the Lycans have been picked to write the film adaptation of the Red 5 comic, ZMD: Zombies of Mass Destruction. Comic book-centric production company, Benderspink (Y: The Last Man) is set to produce.

How is ZMD: Zombies of Mass Destruction going to be different from every other zombie flick out there? Well, these zombies are created by the government to be used as weapons. The zombies are engineered to liquefy in the sunlight. Something goes wrong and one of the zombies, dubbed Zombie Zero, survives the sun and starts spreading mayhem by turning people into zombies. The comic follows a group of soldiers sent on a mission into the Middle East, where the zombies are spreading.

The comic was written by Underworld: Rise of the Lycans creator and supporting actor, Kevin Grevioux. Although I haven’t read the comic, I’ve seen a lot of zombie movies and I know how this should end. You see, zombies can multiply, soldiers can’t. And, if the fact that one zombie can evolve past dying in the sunlight, it is probably true that multiple zombies can do so. Also, if the zombie that survives the light is making the newer zombies, doesn’t that mean that those zombies will already be able to survive the light? Well, I hope not, because the thought of zombies having this interesting weakness might just change the game and give those soldiers a chance. Plus, who doesn’t love watching the undead die for real? I guess whether or not this movie will have a happy ending depends on Blackman and McCain’s interpretation.



It's definitely a different idea and one that I think would make an interesting story. Look for a future post on this one as I find more info and images! Article borrowed from Cinemablend.com.

Ex-President Bush Declares War On Zombies!!

The only thing I like more than a good war on zombies is placing "Ex" before "President Bush". But you're not reading this because you want to hear me rant about our ex-president (ahhh, there it is again). Anyway, feast your eyes on this marvelous video I was introduced to from a post at Archives of the Dead:



Speaking of Archives of the Dead, it's a zombie fan site whose goal is to cataloge zombie memorabilia. Not only is it a blast to look through the listings and admire the collections, it is also a quickly developing community of zombie fans. The forums are growing as well as the collections so take a minute and go have a look! Their link is above as well as to the right.




I would also like to mention that I still have some Zombies and Toys keychains and stickers available. I'm currently in discussions with a company to rebuild the main site. So any of the key chains I had originally set aside to sell there will be given away here. Just drop me an email at zombiesandtoys@gmail.com with your address.

Dead Rising 2?

I mentioned a few posts back about the greatness that is Left 4 Dead. Well, we can't forget about Dead Rising now, can we? Another great game that may have started out as a Dawn of the Dead video game. Those who are familiar will be excited to see this:




Stay tuned, I'll post more information as I find it!

Have You Hugged A Zombie Today?

No? Would you like to? I mean, who wouldn't want a nice, cuddly, gut-hanging zombie friend? Well, no longer will you have to deny yourself the pleasure of having your own cute zombie to have and to hold.

Think Geek has a pretty cool zombie plush available for a mere $12.99.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

Managed to find the book summary and cover pic:

Summary: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies — Pride and Prejudice and Zombies features the original text of Jane Austen's beloved novel with all-new scenes of bone-crunching zombie action.

As our story opens, a mysterious plague has fallen upon the quiet English village of Meryton—and the dead are returning to life! Feisty heroine Elizabeth Bennet is determined to wipe out the zombie menace, but she's soon distracted by the arrival of the haughty and arrogant Mr. Darcy. What ensues is a delightful comedy of manners with plenty of civilized sparring between the two young lovers — and even more violent sparring on the blood-soaked battlefield as Elizabeth wages war against hordes of flesh-eating undead. Complete with 20 illustrations in the style of C. E. Brock (the original illustrator of Pride and Prejudice), this insanely funny expanded edition will introduce Jane Austen's classic novel to new legions of fans.

Animated Stop-Motion Zombie Film???

You read it right. I never would have thought I'd see the day when an animated zombie film would get made, let alone a good one. It gets better... Henry Selick and Chris Butler who both worked on Neil Gaiman's Coraline are both involved. I'm excited to see Coraline and even more so now that my son is excited to see it too.

Here's the full story borrowed from i09.com:

Coraline's Henry Selick Talks About His Army Of Zombies

By Meredith Woerner

Director Henry Selick is a huge reason why Neil Gaiman's Coraline is so gorgeously spooky. While promoting Coraline, he gave us some details about his next project, a zombie stop motion feature called Paranorman.

Selick, who's famous for his fantastic eye for all things stop-motion and has a brilliant pop-cult sensibility, is ready to dive into another stop-motion feature.

There's not a lot of word out there about Paranorman, besides the fact that Selick is attached, but we got him to spill a few details about Chris Butler's sweet zombie tale.

"Our head story artist Chris Butler, for Coraline, he's a really good
writer, he has an original script called Paranorman, so I'm going to be a
creative producer on that. He's writing the second draft. We're putting together
the character designs. That's something that I want to get going.

It's a kid Norman, who...it's a sweet zombie comedy. It's great. The
zombies, I can't tell too much about it, it's different it's something never
quite done before in animation. It has a lot of heart about differences. There's
elements of witchcraft, communicating with the dead, and an army of zombies."

So Henry Selick is going to be a creative producer to a movie that deals with a stop-motion army of zombies? Um, where do I send my check? This will be amazing. I cannot wait for the character designs to come out. Thank you, Selick, for keeping the art of stop-motion animation alive and creepy.

But until then, you'll have to check out Selick's work in Coraline — in theaters this Friday.

Henry Selick

Proof That Zombies Can Make Anything Good

I'm not the type to flat-out avoid all chick flicks. I'll admit to enjoying my fair share of sappiness (is that even a word?). One DVD set in my collection that I have no interest in seeing belongs to my wife, Pride and Prejudice. So I'm familiar with the name as well as the name of the author, Jane Austen. Can I tell you what it's about? No. Can I tell you I don't like it even though I've never seen or read it? Yes. Well, that's all about to change...


"Jane Austen fleshed out with zombies? Aaagh! Help!
A US publisher is releasing a new bone-crunching comedy version of Pride and Prejudice in which Elizabeth must face off the dubious social manners of the ravenous undead...

I'm trying to imagine the conversation. "Hey guys, you know that old English chick, Jane Austen, who Anne Hathaway played the other year? Didn't she, like, write a book where a handsome dude gets his shirt wet? I've heard it's pretty good, but I know what would make it even better – zombies."

Sometimes I despair, I really do. In a move which makes the very worst of fusion cuisine look tame, an American publisher has decided to combine the latest publishing craze – zombies – with one of the most enduring books ever written. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies "features the original text of Jane Austen's beloved novel with all-new scenes of bone-crunching zombie action". In an "insanely funny … comedy of manners", Elizabeth "wages war against hordes of flesh-eating undead", while dealing with the distractions of "the haughty and arrogant" Mr Darcy.

Okay, I know it's a joke. I haven't read it (it's not out until April), it could be genius - you never know - and I do like the juxtaposition of "Jane Austen is the author of Sense and Sensibility, Persuasion, Mansfield Park, and other masterpieces of English literature", and "Seth Grahame-Smith is the author of How to Survive a Horror Movie and The Big Book of Porn". But really. How low can you go?

And that cover is going to give me nightmares."

article 'borrowed' from
guardian.co.uk