Michael Bay to Produce 'Zombies vs. Robots'

by Jordan Yerman | February 22, 2011 at 04:37 pm

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Zombies vs Robots: Michael Bay to Produce Comic Book Adaptation

Sony Pictures has acquired the rights to Zombies vs. Robots, a comic book by Chris Ryall and Ashley Wood published by IDW, which also gave the world 30 Days of Night. IDW and Michael Bay's Platinum Dunes will co-produce the project.

Perhaps the biggest obstacle here is making us care about the majority of the characters: neither zombies nor robots are alive, nor do either have feelings. That's why the climactic battle scene in Attack of the Clones was such a gong show. That said, Wall-E has the most human robots ever (Maximilian is going to kick my ass if he reads this).

Unfortunately for robot fans and zombie fans, Michael Bay isn't exactly famous for characterization in his films. Cool though Bad Boys II was (except for the dumb-as-hell final 30 minutes), it achieved the opposite effect: making humans more robotic.

The attached image is a detail from Zombies vs. Robots, which gives you a sense of the overall mood of the piece.

Speaking of robots, IDW is on a roll: another of its titles, World War Robot (which also features Ashley Wood's singularly creepy robots) has also been optioned for a film.

The film focuses on a young girl who is the last survivor on earth. She is protected by a group of robots from a pack of zombies that are intelligent and evolved. The comic title is unrelated to Cowboys & Aliens, even though it sounds like it could be on the undercard.

I'd be happy to be proved wrong, and zombies and robots, taken by themselves, are fine by me. Maybe together they will be like chocolate and peanut butter. Or they could be like sirloin steak and motor oil.