Frank Darabont to write/direct Walking Dead series for AMC

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malichai11
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Frank Darabont to write/direct Walking Dead series for AMC

Post by malichai11 »

According to Aint it Cool News, Frank Darabont is close to signing a deal with the AMC channel to write and direct a TV series based on Robert Kirkman's excellent graphic novel series The Walking Dead. This instantly vaults to a number 2 on my most anticipated TV show list (right behind Song of Ice And Fire). Maybe even number 1. As much as I'm looking forward to SoIAF, there's a much greater chance at longterm success and stability for The Walking Dead. It's gotta be loads cheaper to produce, and probably much easier to adapt. I don't much trust HBO after getting hosed on Carnivale and, to a less extent, Deadwood.
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Re: Frank Darabont to write/direct Walking Dead series for AMC

Post by Octavious »

Wow that should be awesome!!!!!!! :mrgreen:
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Re: Frank Darabont to write/direct Walking Dead series for AMC

Post by szgany »

I knew TWD would hit the screen sooner or later. I was hoping for Showtime, but if I have too settle for AMC, I'll survive. Please, please, please keep the characters true to the series, they are perfect as they are. If he can pull this off, I say let him also have the Dark Tower saga.
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Re: Frank Darabont to write/direct Walking Dead series for AMC

Post by AWS260 »

This should be a prime candidate to replace Battlestar Galactica as "most depressing TV series ever."
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Re: Frank Darabont to write/direct Walking Dead series for AMC

Post by Doomboy »

As long as it stays depressing and doesn't try to be preachy like BG did, I will be happy. Darabont did a good job with The Mist, a very depressing and hopeless story. I do prefer King's ending to the movie version, so I hope he doesn't change a lot to make it more pointlessly depressing.
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Re: Frank Darabont to write/direct Walking Dead series for AMC

Post by malichai11 »

Doomboy wrote:As long as it stays depressing and doesn't try to be preachy like BG did, I will be happy. Darabont did a good job with The Mist, a very depressing and hopeless story. I do prefer King's ending to the movie version, so I hope he doesn't change a lot to make it more pointlessly depressing.
Agreed on every single point, and about 1000% on the Mist ending change.

What the heck can he do though to make The Walking Dead more depressing? Seriously. There's so much heinous awfulness in there. What's surprising is that I avoid depressing/downer nihilistic stuff as a general rule. The Walking Dead sucked me in so far that I couldn't get back out.
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Re: Frank Darabont to write/direct Walking Dead series for AMC

Post by Doomboy »

True. I hadn't really thought about that. Walking Dead is far more depressing than the ending of The Mist. Either version. Once the Governor gets invloved, it is all aboard the depression train. Before that it wasn't a kiddie story, but it wasn't more depressing than a Romero movie.
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Re: Frank Darabont to write/direct Walking Dead series for AMC

Post by Zurai »

I was loving The Walking Dead up until the very end of episode ... 7? 8?
Spoiler:
The one where the wife and baby die for no real reason whatsoever except the author wanted to fuck with the readers.
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Re: Frank Darabont to write/direct Walking Dead series for AMC

Post by malichai11 »

I have no arguments whatsoever Zurai. I have no idea why I'm still interested in the series, but I am. I'm also not sure why I wasn't more affected by that event, but I wasn't. I wouldn't blame someone for putting the books down after that though.
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Re: Frank Darabont to write/direct Walking Dead series for AMC

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Covfefe!
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Re: Frank Darabont to write/direct Walking Dead series for AMC

Post by Doomboy »

That is awesome news. A zombie apocalypse tv series? Wow.
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Re: Frank Darabont to write/direct Walking Dead series for AMC

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Apparently a season of six episodes will air in October. I sure hope it does well. :pop:
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Re: Frank Darabont to write/direct Walking Dead series for AMC

Post by JonathanStrange »

I've liked the W D series - for the most part. Its subject matter is pretty depressing in a sense but the graphic novel for me has been more of an action-oriented series. I hope they go more that route.

However, just the idea that this sort of stuff has a chance of getting made and seen is enough to have me watch.
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Re: Frank Darabont to write/direct Walking Dead series for A

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Covfefe!
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Re: Frank Darabont to write/direct Walking Dead series for A

Post by Doomboy »

Uh oh. I am getting a distinct fast zombie vibe from those pictures. Something about the weird eyes.

Maybe I am just looking for something to worry about. Probably that. I'll most likely still like it even if it has fast zombies in it.
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Re: Frank Darabont to write/direct Walking Dead series for A

Post by Kelric »

Doomboy wrote:Uh oh. I am getting a distinct fast zombie vibe from those pictures. Something about the weird eyes.

Maybe I am just looking for something to worry about. Probably that. I'll most likely still like it even if it has fast zombies in it.
The zombies look very aggressive. Whether that is just for television or because they are going with fast zombies...
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Re: Frank Darabont to write/direct Walking Dead series for A

Post by Chaz »

If they go with fast zombies, it drastically changes things versus the source material. If they're willing to change something that fundamental, I have big concerns about what else they'll be willing to change.
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Re: Frank Darabont to write/direct Walking Dead series for A

Post by mmmm »

Do you think they'll make an entire episode consisting of absolutely nothing except a guy getting tortured/mutilated? 42 solid minutes, two characters, one set. That would be faithful to the comic.

Fast zombies are pretty silly, though. I mean, c'mon, they're dead... they're all messed up.
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Re: Frank Darabont to write/direct Walking Dead series for A

Post by tgb »

If you watch the trailer, he talks about it definitely being an homage to Romero, so I don't think fast zombies will be in the picture.
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Re: Frank Darabont to write/direct Walking Dead series for A

Post by tru1cy »

No fast zombies!!!
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Re: Frank Darabont to write/direct Walking Dead series for A

Post by Lassr »

No aggressive eyes! I want my zombie eyes to be lifeless!

But, I think it will be slow zombies. I can't imagine the comic writer to OK fast zombies for a series he wrote with slow zombies. Might as well make your own series then and just call it Running Dead instead of adopting the Walking Dead comic to TV. So I'm almost sure it will be walking dead. It better be.
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Re: Frank Darabont to write/direct Walking Dead series for A

Post by DocDarm »

Those DEFINITELY look like fast zombies, unfortunately. One of 'em even looks a bit like Jim Carrey.
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Re: Frank Darabont to write/direct Walking Dead series for A

Post by Jaymon »

DocDarm wrote:Those DEFINITELY look like fast zombies, unfortunately. One of 'em even looks a bit like Jim Carrey.
I would pay $20 to sit in a theater for two hours and watch nothing but Jim Carrey get shot in the head over and over. My hatred for him is that deep.
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Re: Frank Darabont to write/direct Walking Dead series for A

Post by hepcat »

Doomboy wrote:Uh oh. I am getting a distinct fast zombie vibe from those pictures. Something about the weird eyes.
I have never been able to gauge a creature's land speed by the color of their eyes, their hair style, or even the cut of their jib. :?
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Re: Frank Darabont to write/direct Walking Dead series for A

Post by Doomboy »

hepcat wrote:
Doomboy wrote:Uh oh. I am getting a distinct fast zombie vibe from those pictures. Something about the weird eyes.
I have never been able to gauge a creature's land speed by the color of their eyes, their hair style, or even the cut of their jib. :?
Well I CAN! Seriously though, I want to be wrong. I hope the red contact lenses is a simple way of making them look scarier, and not an indication of rage infection.
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Re: Frank Darabont to write/direct Walking Dead series for A

Post by hepcat »

Doomboy wrote:
hepcat wrote:
Doomboy wrote:Uh oh. I am getting a distinct fast zombie vibe from those pictures. Something about the weird eyes.
I have never been able to gauge a creature's land speed by the color of their eyes, their hair style, or even the cut of their jib. :?
Well I CAN! Seriously though, I want to be wrong. I hope the red contact lenses is a simple way of making them look scarier, and not an indication of rage infection.
Image

now THIS guy has fast eyes...
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Re: Frank Darabont to write/direct Walking Dead series for A

Post by Doomboy »

hepcat wrote:
Doomboy wrote:
hepcat wrote:
Doomboy wrote:Uh oh. I am getting a distinct fast zombie vibe from those pictures. Something about the weird eyes.
I have never been able to gauge a creature's land speed by the color of their eyes, their hair style, or even the cut of their jib. :?
Well I CAN! Seriously though, I want to be wrong. I hope the red contact lenses is a simple way of making them look scarier, and not an indication of rage infection.
Image

now THIS guy has fast eyes...
Dude! I'm sorry, okay? I'll just pop back in time and shoot myself before I post that, allrighty? Obviously they would never screw up something called The Walking Dead by making them modern and fast.

I think we might need to change the name to Snarky Overlords soon....
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Re: Frank Darabont to write/direct Walking Dead series for A

Post by Smoove_B »

It's always been my opinion that when you make the switch from slow to fast zombies you change the focus of the story from the survivors to watching the actual zombies. It is my impression that this is a character-driven drama so I would expect the zombies to be slow.

After enjoying the HELL out of Breaking Bad, I'm hopeful for this series.
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Re: Frank Darabont to write/direct Walking Dead series for A

Post by hepcat »

Doomboy wrote:
Dude! I'm sorry, okay? I'll just pop back in time and shoot myself before I post that, allrighty? Obviously they would never screw up something called The Walking Dead by making them modern and fast.
i think you took my ribbing a little TOO seriously there. :wink:
Smoove_B wrote: After enjoying the HELL out of Breaking Bad, I'm hopeful for this series.
AMC is putting out shows that are so far beyond anything else on television it's just obscene. They've elevated the tv drama to heights i can't believe. just an amazing network right now.
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Re: Frank Darabont to write/direct Walking Dead series for A

Post by Doomboy »

Yeah, I hope they stick with the zombies being slow. I can't see what they would gain from making them fast. The zombies should never be the main threat. Other people are always going to be far more dangerous. The zombies exist to tell a story about the people who didn't get zombiefied right away.
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Re: Frank Darabont to write/direct Walking Dead series for A

Post by Steron »

Sadly, I had never heard of the Walking Dead before this thread. Based on what I've read here, I went ahead and bought Volume 1 and Volume 2. I just received Volume 2 today. It's all I can do not to dig in and start reading. Volume 1 should be here next week. I'm really looking forward to reading this.
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Re: Frank Darabont to write/direct Walking Dead series for A

Post by silverjon »

I think the series is a bunch of macho-patriarchal wankery, personally. I'm continuing with my volume-by-volume borrowing of the books from my library because I'm a bit of a masochist that way.
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Re: Frank Darabont to write/direct Walking Dead series for A

Post by Smoove_B »

IO9 has a clip of "Zombie School", showing how they're getting the actors into their undead roles.

And it sure as hell looks to me like they're slow, shuffling zombies.

There's a pretty graphic picture (I guess) showing a zombie on the article page, so if that sort of thing bothers you, why the hell are you in this thread?
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Re: Frank Darabont to write/direct Walking Dead series for A

Post by Kelric »

Steron wrote:Sadly, I had never heard of the Walking Dead before this thread. Based on what I've read here, I went ahead and bought Volume 1 and Volume 2. I just received Volume 2 today. It's all I can do not to dig in and start reading. Volume 1 should be here next week. I'm really looking forward to reading this.
So are the two books the complete series? Should we expect more books? I'd never heard of them before this thread either.
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Re: Frank Darabont to write/direct Walking Dead series for A

Post by malichai11 »

It's an ongoing series. Not completed.
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Re: Frank Darabont to write/direct Walking Dead series for A

Post by Doomboy »

Yay! Slow zombies! I really like that picture of the grounded zombie. Looks like that first one that Rick encounters in the comic.

Edit: Oh, and Hepcat? I can tell that zombie is slow. Just by looking at a picture of it. Yeah.
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Re: Frank Darabont to write/direct Walking Dead series for A

Post by AjD »

Quotes from Frank Darabont (Shawsank Redemption, Green Mile, and the vastly under-appreciated The Mist) to soothe the zombie purist....
"What I really wanted to do is zombies... that's all I've wanted since I was 14 years old when I saw George Romero's original Night of the Living Dead."
"We are definitely taking a page from George Romero's mythos here. There was always that pressure cooker at the core... that ensemble of characters that was trying very hard to either do the right thing, or do the wrong thing and get away with it with impunity. That's great story-telling."
"This is a story about a group of people trying to survive difficult-to-impossible circumstances. The world has changed, and they need to figure out how to survive that... they need to figure out how to survive one another."
"We hope to do for zombies what Mad Men has done to advertising."
"I think we're on to something quite special!"
And finally, it appears from the "zombie school" clip that we're definitely getting slowcore dead.
"For our zombie show I'm calling that the Book of Genesis, and whenever there's a question about zombie behaviour I go back to Night of the Living Dead. Here's my favourite thing: the endless debate among the fans about how fast a zombie can move. There are the folks who just can't stand seeing zombies running. I'm kind of in that camp, but if you look at the very first zombie in Night - the one in the cemetery chasing Barbara, he gets up to a pretty good jog. I'm keying our zombie behaviour off of that film: Whether they're in a very languid state or they're on the attack, they'll move no faster than that first zombie in Night of the Living Dead."
Incidentally, I am a big fan of Darabont's under appreciated The Mist, and strongly recommend NOTLD fans see the director's cut, which is in black and white. Darabont has been quoted as saying he always envisioned the film as an homage to those low-budget black and white shockers of the late '60s-early '70s.
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Re: Frank Darabont to write/direct Walking Dead series for A

Post by Kelric »

So basically a very fast shuffle for zombies? I'm okay with that on film, even if it does cut down my potential survival chances.
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Re: Frank Darabont to write/direct Walking Dead series for A

Post by Odin »

Smoove_B wrote:After enjoying the HELL out of Breaking Bad, I'm hopeful for this series.
Haha!! All the times I've seen references to that show in this forum, I always assumed it was a band. And since I never seem to like the same music that usually gets mentioned here, I ignored it completely.
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Re: Frank Darabont to write/direct Walking Dead series for A

Post by hepcat »

Whew...the whole time I was involved in this thread, I was confusing Jan de Bont with Frank Darabont. I really liked The Mist and was confused as to how someone who could take a movie like The Haunting, a film whose original screen version tops my list of scariest movies of all time), and literally excise every single scary component to create something I consider a travesty when viewed along side the source material); could create something that was actually a pretty decent horror film. Then I double checked the imdb.com listing for the 1999 version of The Haunting and felt a lot better. :oops:
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