Go Back  DVD Talk Forum > Entertainment Discussions > TV Talk
Reload this Page >

Holy Crap! Darabont to adapt 'The Walking Dead' for AMC

TV Talk Talk about Shows on TV

Holy Crap! Darabont to adapt 'The Walking Dead' for AMC

Old 08-12-09, 08:14 AM
  #1  
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Very far away..
Posts: 4,995
Likes: 0
Received 87 Likes on 66 Posts
Holy Crap! Darabont to adapt 'The Walking Dead' for AMC

From Variety:

AMC is venturing into zombie-drama territory with multi-hyphenate Frank Darabont.

Cabler is close to finalizing one of the richest development deals ever with Darabont to write and direct a series adaptation of the Image Comics graphic novel series "The Walking Dead," penned by Robert Kirkman. Gale Anne Hurd of Valhalla Motion Pictures and David Alpert of Circle of Confusion are also on board to exec produce.

Project is set among a group of zombie survivors of an apocalypse who are led by a police officer, Rick Grimes, in search of a safe place to live. Numerous editions of the "Walking Dead" graphic novels have been published since 2003.

Joel Stillerman, AMC's senior veep of programming, production and original content, said the project appealed to the cabler because of "the quality of the storytelling" in Kirkman's work. The series will stay faithful to the tone of the original novels, he said.

"This is not about zombies popping out of closets," Stillerman said. "This is a story about survival, and the dynamics of what happens when a group is forced to survive under these circumstances. The world (in 'Walking Dead') is portrayed in a smart, sophisticated way."

Stillerman noted that the cabler's annual "Fear Fest" movie showcase around Halloween is one of AMC's most popular programming events of the year. "We've got an audience that loves this kind of material," he said.

Darabont and Hurd pitched the project to AMC and several other outlets. There is no studio attached yet. The duo's involvement made the project a must-have for the cabler, Stillerman said. "These are two world-class filmmakers who are also brilliant storytellers with experience in the fantasy genre," he said.
This is gonna be awesome. Oh how I've longed for a zombie show
Old 08-12-09, 08:21 AM
  #2  
Moderator
 
Groucho's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Posts: 71,383
Received 122 Likes on 84 Posts
re: Holy Crap! Darabont to adapt 'The Walking Dead' for AMC

Hopefully AMC will be in HD on my provider (Directv) by then.
Old 08-12-09, 08:23 AM
  #3  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Chew's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 1999
Location: South of Titletown
Posts: 18,628
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Sweet
Old 08-12-09, 08:24 AM
  #4  
DVD Talk Legend
 
bluetoast's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 11,696
Received 271 Likes on 204 Posts
re: Holy Crap! Darabont to adapt 'The Walking Dead' for AMC

Holy Shit...this is big news.
Old 08-12-09, 08:24 AM
  #5  
DVD Talk Limited Edition
 
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: east texas
Posts: 5,473
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
re: Holy Crap! Darabont to adapt 'The Walking Dead' for AMC

well this should be interesting. i can't wait til they get to the governor's storyline.
Old 08-12-09, 08:25 AM
  #6  
DVD Talk Legend
 
FantasticVSDoom's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: No longer trapped
Posts: 11,610
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
re: Holy Crap! Darabont to adapt 'The Walking Dead' for AMC

Sounds good... And AMC in HD here on TWC in NYC so bring it on!!
Old 08-12-09, 08:30 AM
  #7  
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Jobland
Posts: 4,289
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
re: Holy Crap! Darabont to adapt 'The Walking Dead' for AMC

Can't wait!
Old 08-12-09, 09:10 AM
  #8  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 799
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
re: Holy Crap! Darabont to adapt 'The Walking Dead' for AMC

Just imagine what the uncut DVDs will be like--or if AMC passed and HBO/Showtime picked it up.

This is probably the best TV news I've heard in a long time.
Old 08-12-09, 09:46 AM
  #9  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Marina Del Rey, California
Posts: 10,044
Received 14 Likes on 10 Posts
re: Holy Crap! Darabont to adapt 'The Walking Dead' for AMC

Wow. Epic.
Old 08-12-09, 09:49 AM
  #10  
DVD Talk Special Edition
 
chase3001's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Posts: 1,686
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
re: Holy Crap! Darabont to adapt 'The Walking Dead' for AMC

Is this the show that Vinnie Chase was supposed to be in?
Old 08-12-09, 09:52 AM
  #11  
Mok
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: WPB FL
Posts: 3,530
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
re: Holy Crap! Darabont to adapt 'The Walking Dead' for AMC

This is great news!
Old 08-12-09, 09:55 AM
  #12  
DVD Talk Godfather
 
Michael Corvin's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 62,509
Received 909 Likes on 644 Posts
re: Holy Crap! Darabont to adapt 'The Walking Dead' for AMC

Originally Posted by chase3001
Is this the show that Vinnie Chase was supposed to be in?
Old 08-12-09, 10:27 AM
  #13  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Maxflier's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Louisiana
Posts: 13,251
Received 239 Likes on 175 Posts
re: Holy Crap! Darabont to adapt 'The Walking Dead' for AMC

Never read the comics, but I always thought a zombie television series would be awesome.
Old 08-12-09, 10:48 AM
  #14  
DVD Talk Reviewer
 
Slumbering Fist's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 3,272
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
re: Holy Crap! Darabont to adapt 'The Walking Dead' for AMC

Because of how Kirkman chose to make it one long story, not broken up at all, it really lends itself well to an episodic series. Doubled especially because of its frequent cliffhangers and game-changing moments. From the start reading the comic, I always figured it would make a good tv show.

Only thing that sucks is that AMC is censored territory, so they will have to sidestep some issues and significantly pull back on the gore.

Even condensed, the comic already covers what I would imagine to be five or six seasons worth of tv, maybe more, and still has a ways to go before its end. It'll be interesting to see how long it lasts on tv, what they will condense, and how they will deal with the tv show ending if the comic is still ongoing (I imagine they'd just leave it open-ended).

Last edited by Slumbering Fist; 08-12-09 at 10:51 AM.
Old 08-12-09, 11:16 AM
  #15  
Moderator
 
TheBigDave's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Florida
Posts: 12,419
Received 503 Likes on 364 Posts
re: Holy Crap! Darabont to adapt 'The Walking Dead' for AMC

I wonder if they'll do it in B&W. You can get around some of the gore problems if the blood looks black instead of bright red.
Old 08-12-09, 11:22 AM
  #16  
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Northern New Jersey...or as we say it "Sopranos Country USA"
Posts: 3,905
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
re: Holy Crap! Darabont to adapt 'The Walking Dead' for AMC

Originally Posted by Slumbering Fist
Because of how Kirkman chose to make it one long story, not broken up at all, it really lends itself well to an episodic series. Doubled especially because of its frequent cliffhangers and game-changing moments. From the start reading the comic, I always figured it would make a good tv show.

Only thing that sucks is that AMC is censored territory, so they will have to sidestep some issues and significantly pull back on the gore.

Even condensed, the comic already covers what I would imagine to be five or six seasons worth of tv, maybe more, and still has a ways to go before its end. It'll be interesting to see how long it lasts on tv, what they will condense, and how they will deal with the tv show ending if the comic is still ongoing (I imagine they'd just leave it open-ended).
+1, the series is excellent and it does lend itself pretty well.

Also, AMC will be able to get away with a few things...but there is always a director's cut on DVD/Blu option out there.
Old 08-12-09, 11:32 AM
  #17  
DVD Talk Hero
 
slop101's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: So. Cal.
Posts: 43,861
Received 439 Likes on 307 Posts
re: Holy Crap! Darabont to adapt 'The Walking Dead' for AMC

But wouldn't they have to tone the content way down (especially the violence) in order to be on regular cable TV?
Old 08-12-09, 11:54 AM
  #18  
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Very far away..
Posts: 4,995
Likes: 0
Received 87 Likes on 66 Posts
re: Holy Crap! Darabont to adapt 'The Walking Dead' for AMC

As long as it's not on network tv I have faith in Darabont
Old 08-12-09, 12:01 PM
  #19  
DVD Talk Special Edition
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 1,608
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
re: Holy Crap! Darabont to adapt 'The Walking Dead' for AMC

Ya know... it's actually not the most violent comic I've ever seen. I mean, there are some really tough moments in there but the core of the comic has always really been about how the end of the world affects its' characters emotionally and physically.

There are quite a few decapitations in there (Michonne pretty much kills everybody this way, lol) but I think their worst problem is gonna be how to depict The Walking Dead themselves, who are usually just walking hunks of bone and rotting flesh.

I really think Darabont is really going to push Black & White HD (which is what the source material is)... and I've got a feeling that AMC will allow it artistically and logistically (it will make cheaper CGI look better for instance and allow much more ultraviolence, lol).
Old 08-12-09, 01:19 PM
  #20  
DVD Talk Reviewer
 
Slumbering Fist's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 3,272
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
re: Holy Crap! Darabont to adapt 'The Walking Dead' for AMC

Another kinda' major thing, is that they will be forced to alter the comics timeline, make it longer, create spaces between certain plot points/seasons, because there are children in the cast.
Old 08-12-09, 01:38 PM
  #21  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Land of the Lobstrosities
Posts: 10,300
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
re: Holy Crap! Darabont to adapt 'The Walking Dead' for AMC

I'm really curious about how close they will stick to the original storyline and how they will pace out the stories. I also wonder if they will have the balls to take out fairly major characters as routinely as the comic does.
Old 08-12-09, 01:45 PM
  #22  
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
 
sven's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Central Illinois
Posts: 4,017
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
re: Holy Crap! Darabont to adapt 'The Walking Dead' for AMC

Great news!

The Walking Dead is the only comic I still follow.
Old 08-12-09, 05:50 PM
  #23  
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
 
LickTheABCs's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Viva BuyMoria!
Posts: 3,464
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
re: Holy Crap! Darabont to adapt 'The Walking Dead' for AMC

I'm a huge fan of the comic, so I welcome this. Great news.
Old 08-12-09, 06:00 PM
  #24  
DVD Talk God
 
Deftones's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Arizona
Posts: 80,962
Received 1,359 Likes on 922 Posts
re: Holy Crap! Darabont to adapt 'The Walking Dead' for AMC

Man, AMC really is making some fantastically smart decisions about TV shows over the past few years. I know nothing of the comic, but I welcome any show about zombies. Awesome.
Old 08-12-09, 07:15 PM
  #25  
Senior Member
 
Gilgamesh1082's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 660
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
re: Holy Crap! Darabont to adapt 'The Walking Dead' for AMC

Originally Posted by chase3001
Is this the show that Vinnie Chase was supposed to be in?
First thought of mine as well.

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.