The Pride and Prejudice and Zombies Trailer Shambles Forth

The books were all anyone would talk about some years back and the TRAILER for the books was a thing of brilliance! Now Sony Pictures is preparing rabid zombie fans for the coming of the big screen adaptation of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, heading to theaters February 5th, 216!

Answer The Call of the Dead

The best thing about my job is the unpredictability. Today I received a fairly unmarked poster tube from Activision containing a poster for something called CALL Of The DEAD!! Dun dun dun duuuuun. Here's the skinny...

Activision Publishing, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) and Treyarch revealed today that famed horror and action stars Robert Englund, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Michael Rooker and Danny Trejo have joined the cast of Call of Duty®: Black Ops Escalation's zombie level, Call of the Dead. The Call of the Dead zombie level and four all new multiplayer maps make up the second content pack, Escalation, for the record-setting game Call of Duty: Black Ops, launching first on Xbox LIVE® on May 3rd. Dedicated to creating a Zombie experience like never before, the Call of the Dead storyline is inspired by none other than legendary horror writer and director, George A. Romero, who also stars as himself in the new level.

"Our latest zombie creation, Call of the Dead, is unreal!" says Mark Lamia, Studio Head of Treyarch. "We set out to create an exciting new zombie experience for fans of the genre that takes Zombies to an insane new level."









"This is Treyarch's tribute to the legendary George Romero, who truly defined the zombie genre and whose incredible work has been such an inspiration to our team," says Dave Anthony, Call of Duty: Black Ops Director. "It was an absolute honor to work with such an amazing and talented cast whose passion and energy brought their characters instantly to life. Fans are going to love this."

In addition to George A. Romero, whose credits include Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead and Land of the Dead, he is joined by Sarah Michelle Gellar, whose credits include the hit TV series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Cruel Intentions; Robert Englund, best known for originating the role of Freddy Krueger in the successful Nightmare on Elm Street franchise; Michael Rooker, most recently acclaimed for his work on AMC's horror drama The Walking Dead; and Danny Trejo, who starred in 2010's action-thriller Machete.

Published by Activision and developed by Treyarch, Call of Duty: Black Ops is rated "M" (Mature) by the ESRB for Blood and Gore, Intense Violence and Strong Language. Call of Duty: Black Ops Escalation content pack will launch first on Xbox LIVE on May 3rd. For additional Call of Duty updates and information, visit us on the web at www.callofduty.com/blackops, www.facebook.com/codblackops, and also via Twitter @Treyarch.

The poster sent over is ABSOLUTELY something fans will be fiending for once word gets out. The fold lines in this poster are a part of the art, adding to that Grindhouse feel. The Call of the Dead letters on the poster are actually raised up and super glossy for a bloody effect while the background behind the "hunters" seems slightly metallic, giving the whole thing a 3D feel. Happy Hunting!

Toy Fair 2011 : McFarlane's Walking Dead TV and Comic Figures

McFarlane Toys and Todd McFarlane will be debuting “The Walking Dead”, HALO Reach and officially licensed NBA, NHL, MLB and NFL 2011 action figure lines at TOY FAIR 2011!

In one the most creative action figure collaborations of 2011, McFarlane Toys announced today two separate deals concerning the licensing rights of “The Walking Dead.” The first is with AMC to create action figures based on the original series that premiered on the network in October of last year. The second is with Robert Kirkman to also create action figures based on the comic-book series created by him. This is the first time action figures have been produced and both lines are available to retailers this Fall.

“Kirkman has created a world that is macabre and suspenseful with deeply-drawn characters: both human and zombies,” said Todd McFarlane, McFarlane Toys, creative force and CEO. “Working with the creative talents of Kirkman and AMC, we have planned figures lines that authentically represent both the television and comic series – including mind-blowing details, likenesses and play action. We want to push the envelope so that the true essence of ‘The Walking Dead’ series is captured.”

The first series of deluxe 6-inch figures is releasing in September 2011, includes four fan-favorite characters from the Image comic book including:



THE WALKING DEAD Series 1
Officer Rick Grimes
Michonne
Zombie Lurker
Zombie Roamer

The second series of deluxe 6-inch figures is revealed in November 2011 and introduces four figures based on AMC’s original drama including:

THE WALKING DEAD Series 2
Deputy Rick Grimes
Daryl Dixon
Zombie Walker
Zombie Biter

Each human figure includes multiple interchangeable accessories and several points of articulation for limitless possibility and customization. Each zombie figure features unique, gory, play action such as exploding heads and removable limbs. Figures are expected to sell for around $14.99 at retailers nationwide.

“I simply cannot contain my excitement over working with McFarlane Toys,” said Robert Kirkman, creator of “The Walking Dead” comic-book series. “For nearly two decades McFarlane Toys have proven themselves to be leading the pack when it comes to making cool looking, innovative toys, and I'm thrilled that they're going to continue to do so with ‘The Walking Dead.”

AMC’s “The Walking Dead” is based on the comic book series written by Robert Kirkman and published by Image Comics. The series tells the story of the months and years that follow after a zombie apocalypse. It follows a group of survivors, led by police officer Rick Grimes, who travel in search of a safe and secure home. The comic goes on to explore the challenges of life in a world overrun by zombies who take a toll on the survivors, and sometimes the interpersonal conflicts present a greater danger to their continuing survival than the zombies that roam the country. Over time, the characters are changed by the constant exposure to death and some grow willing to do anything to survive. AMC’s “The Walking Dead” attracted 3.5 million adults in the 18-49 demo making it the most watched drama series in basic cable history for the demo. The series was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Television Series – Drama.

Interview: Author Steve Hockensmith Talks Dawn of the Dreadfuls, Civilized Horror and Bible Upgrades

With more than one million copies in print, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies was the surprise publishing phenomenon of 2009. A best seller on three continents, PPZ has been translated into 17 languages and optioned to become a film starring Natalie Portman.

In this terrifying and hilarious prequel, we witness the genesis of the zombie plague in early-nineteenth-century England. We watch Elizabeth Bennet evolve from a naïve young teenager into a savage slayer of the undead. We laugh as she begins her first clumsy training with nunchucks and katana swords and cry when her first blush with romance goes tragically awry. Written by acclaimed novelist (and Edgar Award nominee) Steve Hockensmith, PPZII invites Austen fans to step back into Regency England, Land of the Undead! Now, Idle Hands takes a few moments to get to know the man behind the madness...

Idle Hands: How do you come to the perfect balance of classic courtesy, sensibility and the undead?

Steve Hockensmith: One of the things I love about the Pride and Prejudice and Zombies concept is that there is no perfect balance. The very premise combines things that are inherently unbalanced. It’s an elephant and a mouse on a teeter-totter. The result: comedy!

IH: Do you believe it is more important to be graphic to shock a reader or build tension to genuinely scare them? ..Or is this a moot point if the objective is to strike a humorous yet bloody tone like a great B horror movie?

SH: I think both kinds of scare have their place and work best when used together. Remember that elephant and that mouse on the teeter-totter? Well, shock-scares and dread-shivers are more like an elephant and a rhinoceros. They complement each other. A book or movie that’s all in-your-face shocks gets to be pretty boring eventually, in my opinion, and something that’s all mood and atmosphere is frustrating if it doesn’t pay off in a visceral way. Zombie stories probably lend themselves more to the graphic shocks, but I hope Dawn of the Dreadfuls has a well-nourished rhino to balance out that elephant.

IH: Where do you find inspiration? What horror movies create scenes you've kept with you?

SH: The two scariest things I’ve ever seen in movies are so simple it utterly destroys them to describe them...but what the heck, let’s blow ‘em up. For me, the spookiest image in The Exorcist isn’t Linda Blair in a fright wig. It’s when Father Karras dreams about his dead mother. He sees her watching him from across a busy street, then she turns and slowly walks down into a subway station. I mean, does that sound scary at all? But the way it’s shot and edited, it perfectly captures (A) the helplessness you feel when you’re trapped in an unpleasant dream and (B) the mysterious and terrifying finality of death. It’s chilling in the deepest way possible. In Dawn of the Dreadfuls, I pay homage to both that and the twins in The Shining (the moment when the kid almost runs into them on his Big Wheel is my fave movie scare #2) with a minor, throwaway bit most readers won’t even catch. What’s much more noticeable -- by design -- are the homages to George Romero. Extra bonus Fun Fact: The grand finale zombie battle was inspired by the 1964 war movie Zulu!

IH: What parts of the Bible would be best served by a horror overhaul?

SH: My friend, some parts of the Bible need no horror overhaul at all, because they’re already pretty horrific. You’ve got human sacrifice, rape, fratricide, stoning, locusts, rivers of blood (way before The Shining), baby-killing angels, women turned into pillars of salt, the murder of 99.9% of mankind by an angry god, a prophet’s head on a plate and a dude nailed to a tree. Last House on the Left has nothing on the Good Book.

IH: Do you think Macbeth and Hamlet would team up to fight Aliens, Killer Robots or Monsters?

SH: Let’s just pause to Hollywoodize this for a moment. First off, we’d need some diversity. Sure, Macbeth’s Scottish and Hamlet’s a Dane, but their both white guys, and that just won’t fly in the current marketplace. So either we flip one of the characters -- I kind of like the idea of “Black Hamlet” -- or we pull in another character altogether. Since Hamlet’s a bit of a whiny wuss, let’s bring in a man of action, like Macbeth. So now we’ve got Macbeth and Othello, the Elizabethan Gibson and Glover. As for what they should fight, I say let the focus group make the call.

Thanks to Steve Hockensmith and Quirk Books! For more info on any Quirk Books, hit up http://irreference.com/. Dawn of the Dreadfuls is in stores NOW.

Dawn of the Dreadfuls Trailer to Bloody Up Your Morning

On March 23rd comes the much anticipated prequel to Pride and Prejudice and Zombies!

In this terrifying and hilarious prequel, we witness the genesis of the zombie plague in early-nineteenth-century England. We watch Elizabeth Bennet evolve from a naïve young teenager into a savage slayer of the undead. We laugh as she begins her first clumsy training with nunchucks and katana swords and cry when her first blush with romance goes tragically awry. Written by acclaimed novelist (and Edgar Award nominee) Steve Hockensmith, PPZII invites Austen fans to step back into Regency England, Land of the Undead!