What the Hell Happened to Grahame-Smith’s Pride and Prejudice and Zombies??
author Seth Grahame-Smith
Talk about development hell!! Seth Grahame-Smith’s debut mash-up novel, PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES, has been been in development for the big screen for a few years now, and it seems that it still has an uphill battle. But it looks like we’re finally getting an update via reelz.com. As they point out:
With three directors dropping out (David O. Russell, Mike White, Craig Gillespie), Grahame-Smith has had to remain patient throughout several “almost” scenarios for a potential adaptation of his best-selling mashup novel.
But apparently the script that was originally adapted by David O. Russell and rewritten by Marti Noxon (FRIGHT NIGHT remake) is still in place, and Grahame-Smith himself said back in March that. “there’s still a will at Lionsgate to do it.” And with the recent success of SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN, Grahame-Smith was hoping there’d be a renewed interest. In a recent interview with bloody-disgusting.com, Grahame-Smith admitted that the big screen adaption os PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES is still “languishing”:
The only update is that it’s languishing right now. It’s frustrating, we’ve been close a couple of times, we just need a director. We’ve had a couple of great directors come in and drop off but it’s frustrating in the sense that we have a great script by David O. Russell and Marti Noxon. It’s ready to go with all of these great parts in it, so we really just need a director.
The main question that pops up in my head is why this project can’t land a director. I understand that sometimes a director sign on and then has scheduling conflicts with either the pre-production or production of a film and is forced to bail, but this one has lost three directors and can’t seem to attract a fourth. What up?? What do you think is wrong? I admit that I wasn’t a huge fan of the novel, PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES (it was way too Jane Austen-y for me), but I think in the right hands this could be a hugely fun film. What do you think?
Stay Bloody!!!
As a huge Austen fan that has been following the failure of production with this film (and as a Pride and Prejudice blogger via http://www.thebennetsisters.wordpress.com), I think the problem is budgeting. Period-style films (done well) are hugely expensive, and when the effects and skills required for a bit of ‘zombie mayhem’ is thrown into that mix… the costs become astronomical. From what I’ve read elsewhere, that is what has been putting off directors in droves. Sad, but I still hold hope that we’ll see PPZ on the big screen!
I agree about period pieces having larger budgets (to be done right). I’ve also read that the script had a few problems. We’ll see.
I wonder what the problems with the script were – hasn’t it been re-written twice? My knowledge with film scripts is fairly limited though!
I haven’t had a chance to read the scripts but if I had to guess, I’d say the scope of the script was too large & encompassing (it always goes back to the budget Lol). But again, I’m only guessing.
Your guess is probably better than mine – I wouldn’t disagree. I know directors normally have a problem with Austen and trying to include all the info, even without added zombie scenes (thinking the scope of BBC 1995 P&P and the lengths they had to go to in order to fit it in!) … would be interesting to see what they cut and if they can stay true to both Pride and Prej AND PPZ!
That’s a really good point … not only do the filmmakers have to stay true to Pride & Prejudice, they have to stay true to Pride & Prejudice & Zombies!!
There’s also the issue of each time a new director & lead actor signs on to the project, they want rewrites on the script. They wanna make it “their”
project (directors) & they want more lines & screen time (actors).
Too many voices then, perhaps? The director has a take, Austen has a take, Seth Grahame-Smith has a take, the other two writers do… I can understand how this is far more complicated than probably most people realise!
I might do some research tonight and shoot out some emails – see if I can find out what’s happening with the project!