DreamWorks walking with "Xombie"
NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES (
Hollywood Reporter)
- DreamWorks is in negotiations to buy "Xombie," a movie pitch about a
zombie who is also a policeman, from cop-turned-writer Will Beall.
"Xombie" is based on a Devil's Due comic book by James Farr, itself
based on his online animated series. Farr's creation centers on a
zombie cop named Dirge who attempts to saves humanity's remnants,
particularly a young girl named Zoe, from evil zombies.
DreamWorks is in negotiations to acquire the source material. The story line for the movie version is being kept under wraps.
Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci are in talks to produce the film.
Beall also is adapting his debut novel, "L.A. Rex," about a
policeman patrolling the gang-ridden area of the 77th Division in South
Los Angeles, for producer Scott Rudin.
A former beat cop and anti-gang policeman in the 77th Division,
Beall recently became a homicide detective and continues to serve in
the LAPD while writing.
Like vampires, zombies are gaining currency in Hollywood, with Sony
set to release the Woody Harrelson-starring comedy "Zombieland" next
month. DreamWorks is developing "Rainbow's Bridge," based on the
Japanese picture "Resurrection," which centers on a group of the undead
as they return to the lives they once led.
In addition to writing movies such as "Star Trek" and
"Transformers," Kurtzman and Orci have taken on a number of projects as
producers, among them a family-action movie based on the View-Master
toy and "Matt Helm," a government thriller.