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Children Take on the Undead in the Upcoming Kids vs. Zombies

KIDS VS. ZOMBIES

Growing up I was a huge Zombies At my Neighbors fan.  I would play it between Mortal Kombat matches and I always wondered what a film adaption of the game would look like.  Well, I think director Courtney Sandifer’s upcoming film, Kids vs. Zombies, is as close as we can get to that.  I first heard of KvZ a few months back and was pretty excited to say the least.  I reached out to the page and Sandifer informed me that the film was still in the planning phase.  However, yesterday she hit me up with a press release and I was unable to post it until today due to my job.  You can read below what that release had to say about the film:

KIDS VS. ZOMBIES is a fun, family movie written for kids, but with adult horror/comedy fans in mind. It will be “Home Alone” meets “Zombieland”. A “Goonies” like adventure, with elements of films like “Spy Kids”. There are no crowd funding campaigns planned, as all funds are (hopefully) coming from private sources.

Courtney Sandifer wrote this screenplay to reflect her own kids’ fascination with zombies, but in a way that her kids (ages 7 and 9) could actually WATCH the movie. Frankly, most zombie films are too scary and gory for 6-10 year olds to watch, and we seek to fill a hole in the market here, but without compromising on quality and impact.
The very first talent to join the KIDS VS. ZOMBIES cast were Grace Powell, to play lead “Olivia”, and Hunter Fischer, to play lead “Jack”. These two are both experienced child actors who work and travel between Houston, TX and Los Angeles, CA throughout the year.
Grace Powell plays a very convincing “Sissy” in the 2013 release “Jacob”, where Director Courtney Sandifer first worked with her as well. She has been in several other horror films and many shorts. Her award list includes: 2013 Macabre Faire Best Actress, 2012 WorldFest Critics Choice Award Best Young Actress, 2012 Dallas 48 Hour Film Best Actress, 2012 Houston 48 Hour Film Best Actress Honorable Mention, 2012 NJ Horror Fest Best Actress.

See Grace’s credits here: www.imdb.com/name/nm4233487/

Hunter is an adorable, spunky young boy with a big personality. He has been in a handful of feature films, several national ad campaigns (such as AT&T, HEB, Academy, and Texas Department of Health) and many, many short films. He and Grace already have great chemistry as a brother-sister duo, and we anticipate wonderful things from them both.

See Hunter’s credits here: www.imdb.com/name/nm5123134/

“Olivia” and “Jack’s” friends in the movie will be filled out by some amazing young talent from around Texas, and other key talent to be used in the film is still OPEN. Casting announcements will go out in the next month.

If you look at traditional zombie movies, there a few different types of zombies. Ours are the diseased kind, who have contracted an illness that infects and spreads through biting. The KIDS VS. ZOMBIES zombies will be gross, but without blood. No blood? Yes! Our zombies ooze gross green and black goo instead. They will have grey-green colored skin, sick looking, sunken eyes, with purple veins spreading all over their bodies. When they “bite”, it looks more like they are “sliming” someone with thick green snot. We are taking traditional zombies and making them kid-friendly and most importantly, funny!
Each zombie will have its own specific character in the movie, too. They will be outfitted and given a personality, more than just wandering “extras” that groan and stagger around. Wardrobe and props will enhance characters like “Cart Pusher Zombie”, “Mayor Zombie”, “Jogger Zombie” and “Babysitter Zombie” (who is attacked as human while she takes a selfie pic with her phone and gets photo bombed by a zombie!).

As you can see above, this film will be a family friendly take on the zombie sub-genre which is what  I think this particular sub-genre needs.  The Walking Dead has made zombies mainstream which has ruined the sub-genre for horror fans.  That really pains me to say because I am a fan of the show (until the most recent season) and the comics.  The show’s popularity has spawned hundreds of zombie films that has the same story and plot which gives the viewer below par flicks that do not deserve theirmoney.

A family friendly horror film may make the more die-hard horror fans to snub their nose up but I personally love these kind of films.  Movies like Ernest Scared Stupid, Mr. Boogedy, The Halloween That Almost Wasn’t, and The Monster Squad are classics that need to be watched by any movie fan.  So needless to say I am very excited to see this film when it is completed.  However, I am not the only one.  You can check out two quotes below by star Grace Powell and Hunter Fischer.  When you check those out please head over to Facebook and give the page a like.

Grace Powell

“I am really excited to be working on a project that will be fun for everyone to watch. I seem to always end up in films that really aren’t very kid friendly. Hunter, who is going to play my little brother, really is almost like my little brother. We spend a lot of time together so our chemistry will be great. Filming is going to be a blast with all the kids, but I think Ms. Courtney may end up not agreeing with me before we are done!

Hunter Fischer

“Most zombie movies are not kid friendly. So I think it will be totally cool. I’m so happy to be working with Grace which is one of my best friends I think us being so close will come through in our characters. I hope to make a lot of new friends while filming. Most of all I love acting.

Blacktooth

(Staff Writer) Lover of all things horror and metal. Also likes boobs and booze.

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