Dreamworks To Adapt ‘Xombie’?

The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that Dreamworks is eyeing the flash-based web series-turned comic book, Xombie, for a big-screen adaptation. Transformers and Star Trek writers, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, are in talks to produce the adaptation, along with Dreamworks who are currently negotiating to buy. The adaptation is set to be written by cop-turned-writer, Will Beall (who still continues to serve in the LAPD while writing), but no director has been pegged as of yet.

Based on the Devil’s Due comic (itself based on an animated web series), the James Farr created/produced Xombie (or as the comic is called, Zombie: Reanimated) centers on a zombie cop named Dirge, who attempts to save, “humanity’s remnants,” from evil undead, in particular a little girl named Zoe. From the official website – “Dirge is an undead man with a mind of his own, who struggles to find the meaning of unlife – all the while fighting to protect human lives from evil zombies!”

Sounds like fun. The logline for the Xombie adaptation is being kept under wraps for now, although by the sounds of the plot from the comic I wouldn’t want them to change too much. We’re becoming almost overrun by zombie movies (get it?): We have the on-going Resident Evil franchise; the upcoming Woody Harrelson action-comedy, Zombieland; “zombie king” George A. Romero’s latest, Survival of the Dead; the super low-budget Cannes hot topic, Colin; and THR tells of another Dreamworks project called Rainbow’s Bridge, a remake of a Japanese pic, Resurrection, which centers on a group of undead that return to the lives they once led.

That’s a lot of undead roaming our screens, don’t you think? Not quite at the level of the current vampire craze, but not THAT far off…

We’ll keep you up-to-date on whether or not Dreamworks does acquire Xombie, and if the busy duo of Kurtzman and Orci end up producing. For the latter to turn their sights on the project when they have Star Trek 2 on the horizon, as well as Cowboys and Aliens, Xombie must be really worth it (although I’m sure Trek and C&A will be much more of a priority than Xombie would). Although the zombie element has been done countless times previously, it sounds like it puts a unique spin on it. I’m always for that sort of thing.

Have you seen the original Xombie web series or read the comic book? Do you think it sounds unique enough amongst the crowd of other zombie movies?

The Xombie animated web series is available on DVD, which you can buy over at Halo Eight. Just as bonus, you can view the trailer for it below:

Sources: THR, HaloEight, Devil’sDue, Xombified and YouTube

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