When the world goes mad, a blackjack dealer and an exotic dancer are mysteriously spared. But now they're trapped in Reno, surrounded by a veritable army of the undead - and with no idea what might wait for them beyond the city limits if they can escape. Are they the last man and woman on Earth? And if so, how long can they last?

We caught up with Director, Colin Theys, to talk about the Remains movie.

Horror News Network: How close is John Doolan’s script to Steve Niles original graphic novel?

Colin Theys: It's quite close. The graphic novel actually breaks down nicely into an act structure for film. Obviously, we've had to expand on it a bit, but I think we've done a good job staying true to the original story. That isn't to say we haven't changed anything! There are some things we've dropped, elided, or adjusted, but on the whole, it's a very faithful adaptation. We worked on treatments and outlines for a long time before we went to script, and we brought Steve Niles in to brainstorm before finalizing the treatment for the first script draft.

Horror News Network: Comic books written by Steve Niles always seem to be a hot topic. 30 Days of night was a success and Slash, of Guns N’ Roses fame, recently announced Wake the Dead. Do you feel any extra pressure knowing that you are working on something scripted by the modern horror comics’ master?

Colin Theys: Actually, having source material that is from a well respected author is a great relief. We don't have to argue the value of the source. Every movie has a lot of voices going into the adaptation and when your source material is from a force in the genre, like Steve Niles, it's easier to stop the script from drifting away from the original. It's an added tool to help you defend good ideas.

Horror News Network: What do you think will prove to be the most challenging aspect of directing this film?

Colin Theys: I think the biggest challenge in this film is going to be achieving the scope I want on the budget we've got. It's a good budget, but we are ambitious, so we're trying to get a lot out of it. It'll be hard, but I can do it.

Horror News Network: Can you talk a bit about the zombie auditions that took place a few weeks back?

Colin Theys: Casting the zombies, in my mind, is less about seeing how an actor behaves as a zombie and more about how they are willing to take direction and move without inhibition. I'm not taking a totally normal approach to the zombies in this film and one audition isn't enough time to explain that. I've got some ideas based on the mythology of the zombies from the graphic novel that we're going to have to train people to do later. The auditions were about finding the people we thought would be the most receptive and the least self-conscious! We also had Ben Chester, the FX artist, at the auditions to look at interesting faces for appliances.

Horror News Network: Has the role of Tom and Tori been cast yet?

Colin Theys: At the moment, we haven't cast either role, though we're in talks on both. We've got some cool options and I'm looking forward to locking those down and letting everyone know who we've got.

Horror News Network: What do you plan on serving up in terms of blood and guts?

Colin Theys: We're not going to hold back on this movie at all. That said, I'm over seeing zombies pulling unidentifiable strands of red mush out of people's chests and wrists for 5 minutes at a time. Our effects are top notch and I'm aiming for a style that will integrate them seamlessly without focusing on them too directly and killing the suspense. One good moment will gross you out better than 4 minutes of mediocre gore.

Horror News Network: Where can we find more information about Remains?

Colin Theys: Right at the moment, there isn't much information out there! We've just now been able to lift the lid and start to talk about this movie. Check back here on Horror News Network. I'm sure they'll be covering this as it goes forward. Or pick up a copy of the graphic novel. It's a fun read and the illustrations from Kieron Dwyer are great.

Horror News Network: In closing, what would you like to say about Remains?

Colin Theys: There are a lot of zombie movies out there. I've seen a lot of them, so I know. Remains is an interesting take on the genre, and we're using it to take a new look at the mythology of the zombie, much like 30 Days of Night put a unique twist on vampires. These are zombies that eat each other. It's going to be fun.

Horror News Network: Thank you for your time, Colin. Best of luck on the Remains movie. Comment on this interview on our forum.

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Published on: 2011-04-08 (624 reads)