Filmmaker Hopes Zombies Eat Your Neighbors

Tom Goldman

Crying on the inside.
Aug 17, 2009
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Filmmaker Hopes Zombies Eat Your Neighbors


16-bit horror parody Zombies Ate My Neighbors is up for a translation to the big screen.

In 1993, LucasArts released a game for the SNES and Genesis called Zombies Ate My Neighbors [http://www.amazon.com/Zombies-Ate-My-Neighbors-Super-Nintendo/dp/B000H29ZPM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1296921475&sr=8-1] that parodied a number of classic horror films. 18 years later, the property has come full circle and inspired a movie that an independent company hopes to bring into production.

Just for the sake of pointing it out, that means a movie will soon be based on a game that was based on a bunch of movies. Zombies Ate My Neighbors gave players the choice of two characters named Zeke and Julie. Nothing against Julie, but Zeke was the obvious choice with his 3D glasses, skull t-shirt, and extremely high hairstyle. Both characters had to explore the game's levels to rescue different kinds of neighbors, such as babies and BBQ chefs, while taking out zombies, werewolves, and other monsters with a water pistol.

The varied level design and humor made Zombies Ate My Neighbors a classic. A filmmaker named John Darko wrote a screenplay for the movie adaptation, which has a style described as "John Hughes meets Judd Apatow meets George A. Romero" and "Home Alone [http://www.amazon.com/Superbad-2-Disc-Unrated-Extended-Blu-ray/dp/B000WZEZHC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1296922517&sr=8-1]." It's a "coming-of-age high school" tale that won't follow the game's story directly, but will definitely star Zeke and Julie.

The independent production is still securing the rights to Zombies Ate My Neighbors and the script is being shopped around to investors, so it's not a done deal yet. If everything falls into place, it could end up as an amazing tribute or a horrible reflection on its basis. Movie adaptations of videogames don't have a perfect track record, but Zombies Ate My Neighbors is a somewhat obscure title that a creator would likely have to genuinely appreciate to get behind. If that appreciation can stay intact all the way through production, we may have a worthy movie on our hands.

Source: FirstShowing [http://www.firstshowing.net/2011/excl-horror-comedy-zombies-ate-my-neighbors-in-development/]

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ZeroMachine

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Oct 11, 2008
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John Darko???

... No relations?

Heh, I don't have a huge interest in this, but I know a friend that will. Interesting to hear.
 

New Troll

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Mar 26, 2009
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I see no possible way for this movie to be any good. Can't wait to see it; hope it happens!
 

MustardTiger

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Mar 31, 2010
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Oh Man! loooved this game. I really didn't think anyone remembered it, let alone enough to make a movie out of it. I'll see it, if only for nostolgia sake.
 

mad825

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Mar 28, 2010
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...
I fell asleep when "coming-of-age high school story" was mentioned.
 

SenseOfTumour

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Jul 11, 2008
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At least the lead actor can now wear cinema 3d glasses without it looking ridiculous to those who don't know the source material.
 

maxusy3k

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May 17, 2008
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I like this idea! The 'high school coming-of-age story' angle made me think of how Shaun of the Dead is essentially a romantic comedy that happens to take place during a zombie apocalypse.

Here's hoping it gets picked up and performs!
 

Manicotti

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Apr 10, 2009
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...I...don't know what to say. This is easily my favorite game on the SNES of all time, so they better not fuck it up.
 

viranimus

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Nov 20, 2009
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So have they secured Michael Cera yet? You know the odds are greater that he will be cast in the lead than him not being cast at all.

A wise man once said... This will not end well.
 

lacktheknack

Je suis joined jewels.
Jan 19, 2009
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My first thought: "They're making a movie of Zombies Ate My Neighbors?"



"I'm psychic!"

Although I was kinda hoping it would be some filmmaker chewing out his fans for disliking his newest horror film... oh well.
 

Trogdor1138

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May 28, 2010
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Looking forward to how this turns out, hopefully they don't make a few dumb decisions that ruin the rest of the movie.
 

Always_Remain

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Nov 23, 2009
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Either going to be pretty good or HILARIOUSLY BAD. I'd go with either really. But if they fuck up so royally bad and it turns out to be BORING, many people with get many NASTY LETTERS.
 

Julianking93

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May 16, 2009
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Hm... I don't know how to react to this.
On one hand, it's an awesome game with an awesome setting that would be cool seen as a non interactive form of entertainment.
However, on the other, this is a game based on a bunch of movies, which could possibly result in a film that just seems like a ripoff of other films.

This better not suck. I played this religiously as a kid.
 
Feb 13, 2008
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Manicotti said:
...I...don't know what to say. This is easily my favorite game on the SNES of all time, so they better not fuck it up.
Totally. I played this to DEATH.

Just such a great game and an AWESOME soundtrack. Possibly the best SNES soundtrack of all time, though Rock and Roll Racing comes a close second.
 

felixader

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Feb 24, 2008
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Why?

Why even trying to get the Movie License for this game?

Why trying TO BASE it on a Videogame from long ago?

Why wasting the money for that instead for more quality in the movie?

It's not that i say something like: "Oh No! Not my Game, they gonna ruin it!" In fact i don't really care at all.

I am just questioning..... well everything regarding the try to get the license of widely theme so you can make a movie of a similar widely theme but that you wont really want to base on it anyway!

JUST WHYYYYY?

I really shouldn't care, and i indeed don't.
But just to think of the wasted worktime and money just so that probably can put "Based on the Videogame Zombies ate my Neighbours that you probably never have heard of or care about!"....

This is so baffeling on so many levels.
 

V8 Ninja

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May 15, 2010
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What.

Why would anyone do this? It's not a bad idea, but it's got to be one of the most weird concepts that I've ever heard of (adapting a zombie video game that made fun of zombie movies into a zombie movie).
 

Levitas1234

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Oct 28, 2009
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viranimus said:
So have they secured Michael Cera yet? You know the odds are greater that he will be cast in the lead than him not being cast at all.

A wise man once said... This will not end well.
it's being made my independent film makers, meaning the budget will go to making the movie awesome and not starring Michael cera
 

Nouw

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Mar 18, 2009
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Ah great, so many ways this can go wrong >.>

If it happens to be Home Alone Meets I don't know, Day of the Dead though I will watch it!