{"id":2846,"date":"2011-09-28T21:49:25","date_gmt":"2011-09-28T17:49:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/forbiddenpanel.com\/PanelCast\/?p=2846"},"modified":"2011-09-28T21:49:25","modified_gmt":"2011-09-28T17:49:25","slug":"lionsgate-developing-dead-island-zombie-pic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/forbiddenpanel.com\/PanelCast\/lionsgate-developing-dead-island-zombie-pic\/","title":{"rendered":"Lionsgate Developing ‘Dead Island’ Zombie Pic"},"content":{"rendered":"

From Hollywood Reporter<\/a><\/p>\n

The mini-major is developing a genre picture from Deep Silver’s video game Dead Island, which was preceded by a teaser trailer that went viral online.<\/h2>\n
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TORONTO — Lionsgate, ever on the lookout for properties with movie franchise potential, has optioned the film rights from video game publisher Deep Silver to develop a zombie picture inspired by the viral media sensation\u00a0Dead Island<\/em>.<\/p>\n

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Sean Daniel<\/strong>\u00a0(The Mummy<\/em>) and\u00a0Stefan Sonnefeld\u00a0<\/strong>will spearhead production through the Sean Daniel Company.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Jason Brown\u00a0<\/strong>of The Sean Daniel Company and\u00a0Missy Papageorge\u00a0<\/strong>for Sonnenfeld\u2019s Sunny Field Productions are executive producing, with\u00a0Sarah Perlman\u00a0<\/strong>serving as co-producer.<\/p>\n

Alli Shearmur<\/strong>, Lionsgate\u2019s president of motion picture production and development, will oversee the project at the studio with\u00a0Jim Miller<\/strong>, senior vp of production and development.<\/p>\n

The project, announced by Lionsgate motion picture group president\u00a0Joe Drake,<\/strong>\u00a0was preceded by a teaser trailer for the\u00a0Dead Island<\/em>\u00a0video game in February 2011 that portrayed a family on a tropical island beset by a mysterious zombie outbreak.<\/p>\n

The video game trailer grabbed around 10 million views after two days online, on its way to becoming a viral sensation.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0Dead Island<\/em>\u00a0video game from Deep Silver was released stateside on September 6th, and has sold over two million units to date.<\/p>\n

Lionsgate is aiming at a\u00a0Dead Island\u00a0<\/em>zombie genre picture that focuses on family ties and non-linear storytelling.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is exactly the type of property we\u2019re looking to adapt at Lionsgate \u2013 it\u2019s sophisticated, edgy, and a true elevation of a genre that we know and love. It also has built in brand recognition around the world, and franchise potential,\u201d Drake said in a statement.<\/p>\n

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