Darabont Takes THE WALKING DEAD To Tv - Page 2

Let's just hope Darabont and the other, hopefully compentent, writers on the show write new dialogue instead of keeping Kirkman's. I loved the series when it started, but tried rereading it recently, and there's just something... not right... about the way his characters talk (should have caught on to this the first time around, I guess, but whatever). And I'm not even talking about the way almost everybody is talking in clunky exposition most of the time, there's just something wrong that I can't really put my finger on...

Just finished the first hardback collection.

I get the idea that Kirkman isn't interested so much in the zombies as he is in the breakdown of society and the reformation of social groups in the face of apocalyptic disaster. He may shift that subject in later issues, but reading it I could easily see Darabont knocking this out of the park. So far, I'm really liking the books. It's not original by a long shot (hell, it rips off 28 DAYS LATER blatantly in the first few pages) but I do like the characters and much of the artwork. And if you've seen MAD MEN, AMC is a good fit for this - it's probably going to push the boundaries of what TV can show, I'd imagine.

Actually, Kirkman had already written the first issue at least a year before 28 Days Later had come out. It seems like it was more coincidence than a blatant rip-off.

As for whether people should start taking it up after the first couple of trades and the prison story-arc entered the scene I say yes. Kirkman pretty much lulls everyone to sleep with everything that happens from trade volume 4 thru 6. From the middle of 6 right up to the end of 8 it's non-stop. Kirkman really shakes up the cast of characters by the end of Issue 48.

Boyle himself acknowledged he was borrowing from Wyndham, who himself was probably borrowing from someone...

I'm pretty sure Darabont plans to transcribe the dialogue word-for-word, straight out of the balloons.

That's sarcasm, BTW. Of course it will be re-written.

I'd fancast Nathan Fillion as Rick, but then the show will get canceled after 7 episodes. Jane is the obvious choice; hopefully HUNG will bomb and his schedule will be free. Sorry HUNG fans.

And Brian Libby, of many Darabonts and Silent Rage fame!

Never read the source material but having just watched The Mist again (this time on Bluray), I'm REALLY looking forward to this.

Oh yeah. Gorgeous. It's one of my fav Blus, actually.

Hey, that show's kinda awesome.

Fuck. Still haven't gotten around to watching the B&W version of The Mist.

*Lowers head in shame*

It plays great as a "midnight movie" even though I actually saw it at 10:30 P.M. the day before Thanksgiving when it first opened.

Yeah, in color the CGI is kinda evident, but in black and white it looks much improved. It's just a great movie all around, I hate that it didn't do better when it got released.

Well, generally speaking, since there probably are a few other comic book properties where the dialogue could work word-for-word (more or less), I don't see why this would automatically be the case, as you seem to be implying.

But if we're only speaking specifically about The Walking Dead, then of course that's the case, and my previous post is just my very roundabout way of saying that Kirkman can't write dialogue for shit...

I showed this to my 19-year-old sister, who thinks Halloween is boring and laughed through The Exorcist (I know, but she's just getting to the point where movies can be more than weekend entertainment), and she loved it. She agreed that it works better in black and white. I don't know if that tells you how awesome the black and white version is, but it should.

WTF? Spawn... but with goo!

I fucking hate that pic. There's no way anyone can lift their leg like that without doing serious testicle damage. I guess that's why he's spewing jizz everywhere.

Where's Duke Fleed with some ridiculous casting nominations?

In fact, c'mon guys...Tyrese? Dale? Michonne? Andrea? Glen? The Governer? Who should play them?

This is great news, especially given that I coincidentally read tps 6 - 9 last night. Dear god things get fucked up in #8… absolutely devastating stuff. But I'm glad that in #9 the characters get a little more purpose other than “it’s nice here, let’s stay a while, ARRRRGGGHHH FUCK! ZOMBIES!, run away, it’s nice here, let's stay a while, etc...”

And Darabont's involved - this can't get much sweeter!

If you enjoy seeing Michonneutterly mutilate a guy then keep reading towards the end of the prison arc. That issue was so fucked up.

John Cho = Glenn
Might as well get an actual football player for Tyrese. Tracie Thoms for Michonne (and agent 355 from Y while were at it)

edit: please tell me that MacFarlane thing is not real. It's like an exact clone of one of his SM pics...

I'm trying to think who would make a good Governor, but I can't think of a single actor who would look menacing with that hair style and mustache.



Who do you guys think?

And yes Ryan Bean, Haunt is very real.

Yeah, John Wyndham's The Day Of The Triffids did the whole "survive an apocalypse accidentally as a patient in a hospital" thing decades earlier.

For the Governor... Josh Lucas? That guy from In The Bedroom? They both play loathsome perfectly. And Lucas looked at home with the beard in Session Nine.

*edited to add... y'know, Josh Lucas would ironically also be great for the lead.

Okay, here's my fancast. I tried to pick people who, I think, would fit the roles eventhough they might not look exactly like their illustrated counterparts at the same time being *mostly* realistic by choosing good actors who also happen to work mostly in TV.
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RICK: Tom Jane. I'm not a Jane fanboy like some people may be. But I like the guy enough and I think he'd be more than capable pulling off the more heavy, gut-wrenching material. Also shares a pretty good resemblance. Though not really a a "television actor" I think he'd be great as Rick Grimes.

TYRESE: Gary Dourdan Most famous as Warrick Brown on CSI. Can be an intense guy. Though he doesn't really resemble Tyrese, I think he and Jane would have some pretty good chemistry and the dynamics of their relationship would be believable. Not as big as Tyrese...maybe in this version he was a wide-receiver instead and that's why he's smaller. lol

MICHONNE: Lisa Bonet. I love Lisa Bonet, what can I say? And I'd like to see more of her on TV. She had a short run on Life On Mars recently and was pretty good. And I think, just naturally, has enough edge and hint of sexy/crazy that the role calls for. I think it'd be fun to see her as a bad ass. Also shares quite a resemblance.

DALE: John Mahoney A little older than the character actually is, but the guy's great. How much fun would it be to see Frasier's dad killing zombies?

ANDREA: Eliza Coupe Was recently on Scrubs. Cute, young. Looks sorta tough. I'd can see her using a rifle. Doesn't have a twin though...

GLEN: Aaron Yoo. Most recently seen in Friday the 13th.

GOVERNOR: Bill Moseley Do I need a reason? It's Bill Moseley. EDIT: though I have to say, the cast that it's Bill Moseley might give away to the audience that his guy isn't as nice as he seems at first... lol

Some great ideas, guys. Imagining John Mahoney being all grumpy and curmudgeon-y in a zombie killing tale is fantastic.

And Josh Lucas does have that great joyful energy when it comes to being a slimey cockbag. Whoever plays The Governor has to be really boo-hiss-able in order to make what ultimately happens to him be satisfying at all. And well...



I mean, look at that smile! He's delightfully imagining cutting off your hand!

Nothing against the guy though. Love him. Some actors were just born to play horrible people though.

Josh Lucas plays a great asshole. He's in my top 3 for Shane (the guy who fucked Rick's wife). Josh Lucas, Neil McDonough, and Cole Hauser. All 3 play amazing assholes and would be perfect for the character.

ETA: William Forsythe would make a killer Governor, too!(no pun intended)

Oooo William Forsythe...I like. This could largely be a cast of unknowns, but whoever plays The Governor should be a big name.


...Not that William Forsythe or Josh Lucas are big names. Sorry guys! I love ya!

Okay, just read the first eight issues. Love the art, the writing is atrocious. The plot (thus far, anyway) is pretty much the same basic story that everyone's been rewriting since 1968, so it's neither exceptionally good nor exceptionally bad, just standard. Perhaps it evolves into something more original.<P>

Nice range of characters, though, and I think a decent series could be adapted from those relationships. I still wonder, however, if the limitations of network television won't neuter the very aspects that draw people to zombie tales in the first place.

I think Jeremy Renner could play a good Rick.

And I know he's going to be busy with HBO's "Song of Fire and Ice" show, but Sean Bean could be a decent Governor.

Josh Lucas as Shane the Lori-fucker is inspired.

Dale needs to be fat.

I would poop if they got Bean for the Governor. And not just because he's my Dad.
(just kidding...... OR AM I?)

Kirkman should be a producer. His writing is pretty terrible at times, but he has good ideas. The Walking Dead in his words: "The easiest way(to describe it) is "It's the zombie movie that never ends." The Walking Dead is a long-term examination on the zombie apocalypse. We follow a band of survivors as they try to do just that... survive. Our main character is small town cop, Rick Grimes, but there are dozens of other people that weave in and out of the story. It's much more of a character study than just a zombie tale."

Just watch Breaking Bad. They got dudes in acid baths there.

In fact, network television is growing more and more comfortable with extreme bloody gore and violence. You won't hear any harsh language (well, then again, pretty much every word except Fuck is allowed on television now) and nudity will be a big no-no, but the violence will remain in check. Especially on AMC.

Echoing a previous post, but I too was hoping for news of Darabont doing King's (Bachman's) "The Long Walk" when I first saw the headline. Seeing the actual story bummed me out. I don't have a strong opinion one way or the other. I tried getting into "The Walking Dead", but just found myself completely disinterested, unlike "30 Days of Night", which I thought was just a horrendous piece of shit right from the start; "The Walking Dead" didn't even illicit that much of a response.
After "The Mist" I was hoping for "The Long Walk"; it would have been a killer 1-2 from Darabont...

its funny how so many of up stopped reading right after the prison section. even at the best of times, it was fairly mediocre. Yet the fact this will be on amc, and not one of the other shit kicker networks gives me hope it could be awesome.

It's also funny how so many of you missed the best part of the series by not reading the end of the prison arc. *sad face*

I just can't believe it took this long for a zombie TV show (good or bad) to show up.

The Governer could be played by an actual..................governer.

I'm surprised it wasn't a biker gang.

ZOMBIES! They're so like us!!!

Kirkman is the king of selling refried ideas. There's virtually nothing in his canon that qualifies as an original idea, but he has a way of selling it that goes down smooth.

So you're saying I don't need to keep reading? The last trade I read was the one where the Governor showed up. Good to know I don't need to continue.